The Vakyrian Knight
by Aeso3
Summary: Year 2199-the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi. Ragna the Bloodedge arrives at the city gates,as the wheels of motion are set in place once again. Yet things are different,...very different. For one, it involves the arrival of none other than Pyrrha Nikos. The long, twisted tale of the world will begin and end, with Pyrrha at the helm of it all.
1. Chapter 1

"Kokonoe? This is Pyrrha, I've arrived at the location" a young girl announced as she stepped out of the transport ship. She made her way towards the docking station moving along with the crowd; her attire consisted of a black pinup coat with a red shawl draped across her shoulders coming together into a small ribbon and small heel boots. Physically she resembled a young woman into her early 20s, with vivid green eyes and red hair tied into a ponytail with a bronze headpiece circlet with teardrop emeralds hanging.

"So, how's the view?" Kokonoe asked through the radio earpiece." Well, it is a magnificent sight, but that's not why you told me to come here, is it" Pyrrha answered, looking over the edge of the balcony. The view offered by the Kagutsuchi Port was fantastic sight to be sure, with almost the entirety of the city on full display, but there was more to this city to her than one would expect. "Sorry, Sector Seven doesn't exactly like to give out paid vacations. There's something I need you and Tager to do, but seeing as it is, you're all way up while Tager's right at the bottom and that's kind of a problem" the scientist affirmed. "And you want me to join up with Tager?" Pyrrha asked. "No, don't bother. I've set up Tager for an important task. I want you to do something else for me" Kokonoe replied.

"And what might that be?" the redhead asked, curious as to what plan the scientist had conjured up that would require her solo assistance. "Well the primary objective for you is to retrieve an asset that I currently believe is holed up here in Kagutsuchi. I need you to get it back for me" Kokonoe ordered.

"Asset? You mean the ones they stole from Ikaruga? Is it really here?" Pyrrha replied, curious yet confused. "That little princess is sleeping in that iron fortress of hers. Don't worry about her yet. It's not her I want, it's the Susano'o unit I'm after" the Sector Seven scientist answered.

"Hakumen?!" said Pyrrha, her expression was that shock and bewilderment. Hearing this made her goosebumps rise and her heart pound, yet even she was unsure whether it was out of fear or excitement. "Don't worry, you don't have to beat him. Tager's placing thirteen Ars equipment's in designated points to create a space-time warp, that'll get him back, all you have to is stall him and keep him monologuing like an old fart" Kokonoe reassured. She had a way with words, even if it was buried within heaps of cynicism and sarcasm. Pyrrha made sure to take note of that ever since the first time they worked together; the bigger question right now was why she was utilizing Ars magus, especially considering Sector Seven's reservation against magic. ' _Kokonoe isn't known for patience, better not ask too much'_ Pyrrha thought to herself. "Understood" the redhead answered without question. "Oh yeah and one more thing" Kokonoe continued "I heard rumors about the Grim Reaper. Any news of him?"

"Yes. There has been talk about the arrival of Ragna the Bloodedge here lately. The locals are restless" Pyrrha answered. "Could his presence be the reason why Hakumen is here as well?" she continued. "My thoughts exactly. Anyways, if you do see him, the retrieval of Azure Grimoire is your secondary objective. Ditch it if you don't think it's worth it though" Kokonoe informed.

Now it was common knowledge about the existence of Ragna the Bloodedge: the man who carved a path of destruction over entire NOL branches earning him the infamous title of Grim Reaper. What was an even more heated topic of discussion, was the source of his strength: The Azure Grimoire. A prize considered greater than his own bounty reward, high enough for an individual to buy a small country. Every faction wanted the Azure Grimoire, from his enemies the Novus Orbis Librarium to the organization Pyrrha herself currently worked under, Sector Seven. Every upper echelon of the Committee wouldn't stop talking about it, treating it as if it were the Holy Grail. So, it came to a surprise to hear her own personal superior talk about it as if it were nothing more than a trinket.

"I thought something like the Azure Grimoire would be of great interest to you? Shouldn't that be a mission priority as well?" Pyrrha questioned, with frown that expressed confusion. "That cheap knockoff?! Maybe someday I'd like to look at it but till then, it doesn't really bother me that much. Oh yeah, one more thing, I've lost trace of him for a while, so your best bet to finding Hakumen is to find Ragna. Anyways, we've chit chatted long enough. Contact me when you've found something important. Kokonoe out" and with that, there was silence once again.

"It seems I'll have to act under my own discretion" Pyrrha muttered to herself, letting out a deep sigh. "Infiltration unit 0008 commencing mission" she announced over the earpiece.

Just as young redhead was about to begin exploring the area, she noticed that there was something strange in the area around her: just a few minutes ago, there was at least a small gathering of people around. But the minute she turned her back the whole place had become deserted. Not a single living soul was sighted anywhere and it was so eerie that even a whisper could make a loud noise. Pyrrha looked at surroundings before quickly deciding to depart; she had mission to do after all, there was no time for such idle motions.

"Leaving so soon?" A voice called out to her, just as she was about to make her exit. It had a youthful yet elegant tone to it; posh even. Pyrrha knew all too well whom it belonged to. "You look rather pale Pyrrha. Something frighten you?" the voice called out again. Pyrrha turned around to face the voice. Before her stood a young girl, who resembled a child somewhat, dressed in Gothic Lolita and had a strange Cat-like umbrella and an even stranger pink bat like creature hovering around her. There was no mistaking it; she was Rachel Alucard, the current head of the vampiric Alucard family.

"Nothing I believe, that would frighten you Miss Rachel" Pyrrha greeted warmly, breathing a sigh of relief that it was a familiar face and not an enemy that had caused this silence, she assumed. "That may be true, that does not mean one should let their guard down either. And it has been quite a long while since we've last met" Rachel replied. "Yes, it's been quite a while. You should consider yourself fortunate that the princess has deemed you important enough to pay a second visit, Miss Nikos" said Nago, the cat-like umbrella. "Real lucky!" chimed Gii, the bat like creature hovering vicariously. But just as these two were about to open their mouths again, they received quick slaps in successive order from their master. "Oww!' they shouted. "I did not ask you fools to speak out of turn" Rachel scolded.

"So, what brings you to Kagutsuchi?" Pyrrha asked, feeling as if Rachels servants would be on the receiving end of more humiliation if she did not intervene. "I'm simply on a bit of an errand really. Though to be frank, there is a certain brutish animal whose inspection I must attend to. But that should not be any of your concern. What I 'am interested in however, is the progress you've made since the last time we parted ways" Rachel answered, her full attention now on Pyrrha. "My progress?" the redhead asked, puzzled. "Yes, I'm curious to see how far you've come and whether you've made any real gains under kokonoe's tutelage. Now ready yourself, and please, do try" Rachel affirmed.

"Very well, commencing activation of artificial causality weapons" Pyrrha announced as she readied herself. In a flash of bright light, her clothing had changed. In place of the elegant feminine outfit was an attire prime for combat. With a strapless top layered with bronze and stitched together yet maintaining shape, an elastic black miniskirt with a belt that had an emblem on her right hip. Her arms and legs were all covered in armor from greaves to cuisses. In her left hand was a hoplon shield while in her left, she held a red and bronze spear like weapon.

Pyrrha readied herself for battle against the vampiric aristocrat, raising her shield and holding her spear close all the while watching her opponent. With a smile, Rachel snapped her fingers and in an instant, lighting fell from sky. The redhead dodged the oncoming strike in the nick of time but before she had any time to recover, another lightning was conjured up followed by another one, forcing her to constantly stay on the move and evade the attacks. Eventually, realizing she could not stay on the defensive any longer, Pyrrha rushed towards Rachel, ready to lunge at her with her spear Miló. But before she could even land a hit, Rachel breezed herself away with a strong gust of wind that came out of nowhere. Striking the ground hard, Pyrrha looked up to see the vampire floating in the air, where in that instant, she threw her shield, Akoúo̱ towards Rachel, seemingly missing the mark in the process. However, as she threw the shield, Pyrrha extended her left hand, engulfing it in some sort of black aura which encapsulated Akoúo̱. At that moment, Pyrrha pulled her hand back and the shield itself went into reverse, this time, heading straight for the back side of the vampire. But Rachel was not unprepared, for just as the shield was poised to hit, her familiar Gii stood in the way, colliding with it in the process. Akoúo̱ was set off course, before flying back to its owner seemingly under its masters control while Gii hovered around Rachel, dazed and confused.

"Impressive" Rachel stated, before folding Nago into an umbrella stick and hitting Gii like a baseball. Pyrrha caught the flying bat like familiar with one hand, feeling the soft and squishy texture of the creature; believing this to be the reason why the vampire loved stretching and pulling him. Pleased with what she had seen, Rachel settled down to the ground.

"It would truly seem that you've made quite the improvement since the last time we met. Though I should expect nothing less from someone of your caliber" the vampire complimented, which was the highest honor one could probably even receive from someone as overwhelmingly powerful as her, giving her reason to treat everyone else as bore. "Thank you" Pyrrha said, smiling back.

"But even so, you're just a knight in this game of chess. There are somethings even you would do well not to stick your nose under" the vampire warned. "I don't think I quite follow you Miss Alucard" Pyrrha stated. This was not the first time Rachel had spoken like this, for she had a way with cryptic messages and riddles; some of them eventually came to be, others still as confusing as ever.

"A knight is represented by its value above a pawn, its equality to a bishop and its inferiority to a rook and the queen. The knight has potential for great things. But sometimes, it is best to let others do the work." The vampiric aristocrat answered," I know why you're here and I fully understand your intention to change the course of fate. An admiral quality to be frank, but do keep this in mind: the loved ones you are trying to save are not the same ones you knew before. They don't know you for who you are and you'd best understand that things are different than they were before. Sometimes it's better to let fate take its course" she continued, her tone and demeanor being much more serious than before. "Even so, my goal here since the very beginning has been to change their fate and this has been my very reason for existence. I've come too far now. But thank you for your words Miss Rachel, I'll…. keep them in mind" Pyrrha replied, still unsure as to what she had just said.

"It was a lot of effort to save you from the boundary, it would be a shame to waste such a second chance. But since your mind is set, then I shall be off now. There is an uncivilized brute I must attend to and I worry he may do something stupid without my supervision. Just do try to take my advice to heart, Miss Nikos. Until next time" and with that, Rachel Alucard disappeared in a flash.

"Uncivilized brute? I wonder who that could be? Hmm…. never mind, I have a mission to complete" Pyrrha muttered to herself. Changing back to her formal attire, she made her way into the heart of city. "The 13th hierarchical city of Kagutsuchi. Brings back a lot of memories…. but now, it's time to put these demons to rest" she continued. There was going to be a lot of work to do.


	2. Chapter 2

She walked…. walked with a sense of urgency, a feeling of need. As she neared closer to her destination, her mind was buried in deep thoughts. Thoughts of fear, anxiety, the expectation for the worst. While there had been some obstacles that came in the form of bounty hunters, they weren't much of an issue towards reaching here. Her heart pounded harder and harder as she neared her destination, until finally she reached a massive door serving as the barrier between her and the towering building. Pyrrha had arrived at the Kagutsuchi NOL branch headquarters.

For a minute or two the girl stood there with a deep sigh, staring at the door. There was history with the place: a history only she was aware of and as such, made her reluctant to go in. To her, every inch of that building permeated a memory of pain and suffering. Pyrrha knew, with certainty, of the foregone conclusion that would take place here but even then, it was filled with an atmosphere of doubt. What would she find in there? Will the right people be there? How would things be any different from before? There were so many questions that filled her head.

"No. This isn't the time to be having second thoughts" Pyrrha asserted to herself aloud. Shaking her head, she slowly made her way towards the door, ready to open it via Ars magus. Nearing the door however, she found that there was no Armagus barrier protecting it, making her to take a step back. Taken aback, she carefully placed her hand on the hinges of the door, slowly pushing it forward. The sound of the massive doors opening echoed through entrance of the building. The great empty hallway welcomed her into the mouth of its interior and while the dead silence made her wary, she persevered on.

She made her way through the great silent halls, ones that almost seemed to be devoid of life."No life signs anywhere. This is bad" Pyrrha started to get worried about the emptiness, taking it as a sign of ill omen. As she finally reached the Cathedral, she finally found signs of life: laying there amidst the great silent statue was a man lying on the floor. The man looked like he was in a state of half death. "N-no….! Am I too late!?" Pyrrha anxiously and immediately rushed towards the man, in the hopes that he was still alive, and much to her relief, he was still breathing. On a closer inspection, the man was of slender build and had a complexion that many would consider attractive with a pretty face and short blond hair; his attire consisted of a black turtleneck and leggings covered by what seems a jolting sapphire jacket. There was no getting around it, Pyrrha knew whom that uniform belonged to. "Armagus infantry, 4th Magic division Imperial Guard 'the unshakeable Blue Blaze'" She addressed as she reached out her hand closer to his face. Suddenly, the man grabbed her hand as he opened his eyes which surprised even Pyrrha, who was taken aback at this sudden burst of life. "W-who…. who…are y-you?" the man spoke, struggling to utter the sentences. "I'm here to help" Pyrrha answered as she grabbed him by his arms, putting it around her own shoulders, lifting him up. Using what seems to be a sword, he struggled to stand on his feet, though after a while with Pyrrha's aid he was to his feet albeit barely.

"We…...are…. not… finished brother! You…. will fall by my hand" the man angrily snarled, clutching onto his sword. _" Brother? Then that can only mean one thing"_ Pyrrha affirmed.

"I hope you don't mind, but… am I right to assume that you are Major Jin Kisaragi" the redhead asked. The man's eyes widened hearing this question. The fact that a stranger like her correctly assumed his identity, considering he never expected anyone else outside of the NOL to know of him. But then, perhaps with a title like the "Hero of Ikaruga", it would be hard to not gain such immediate recognition. "What's it to you!?" the man angrily answered. "I only wish to know who did all this" the redhead answered back, taking his answer for a yes while skipping through the man's own question with her own question. "This has nothing to do with you, so just get the hell out of here!" the man, Jin Kisaragi, shouted. Pyrrha quavered at that statement, gritting her teeth and clutching her hand. For someone who could barely stand on his own two feet, the man acted like he owed the world nothing. Regaining her composure, Pyrrha turned her back towards Jin Kisaragi, "then I can fairly assume that Ragna the Bloodedge is here as well "she said as she steadily distanced herself from him and made towards her designated direction.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" Jin snarled. "I'm going to find the Grim Reaper and put a stop to him. You are in no condition to fight. Please, just rest and wait here while I call for help" Pyrrha answered back. Jin clenched his teeth together as he unsheathed his katana from his scabbard and pointed it at the girl. "Ragna the Bloodedge is MY KILL! Don't you dare lay a finger on him" he snapped. With a mixture of shock and uncertainty, Pyrrha faced towards the wounded warrior and she replied with a look of plea "Please, I implore you to stay here for your own sake, you're too hurt to fight and I don't want you to worsen your condition. Allow me to handle this."

Jin narrowed his eyes and gripped his sword tight "then you will die by my hands. Yukianesa!" Kisaragi sputtered as he let out a wave of ice through the floor. Pyrrha ducked out of the way, though the path of the ice itself seemed obvious. She quickly transformed to her combat attire, readying her weapons and faced towards him. But what she saw in front of her was a man barely able to stand, panting heavily but with a look of crazed determination. _"His wounds…if he pushes himself anymore, his condition could go critical"_ she acknowledge to herself: she had to take him out quickly and safely.

With a psychotic scream Jin rushed towards her, readying Yukianesa to cut her down. Pyrrha, in return took a defensive stance, watching his every move. Just as Jin was about to slash her from her right side, Pyrrha intercepted the attack and blocked it with Akoúo while pushing herself forward with it before knocking Jin back slightly. Immediately however, Jin released a stream of ice from his hands, which Pyrrha blocked with her shield. However, Jin let out a smirk as the ice slowly enveloped around her before eventually encasing her in a large block of ice. Satisfied with the outcome, Jin lowered his guard as he looked towards his defeated opponent. But before he could even collect his thoughts, the ice slowly began to crack open. With a gasp, Jin readied himself again as Pyrrha burst out of the top of the block of ice. With the higher ground, Pyrrha threw her shield Akoúo in a burst of speed, which Jin was unable to react to as it hit Yukianesa, knocking it out of his hand. Just as he turned around, a sword flew past his left side, barely missing him by a few inches. His eyes widened with shock at the situation he was in, but before he could even react, Pyrrha was directly in front of her. All Jin could do was stand in disbelief, almost helpless for he had used up all his strength fighting Ragna and pushed through whatever he had left fighting her. Now, without any strength left to fight back, Jin stood frozen in shock, unsure as to what she would do next. The girl simply stood there, staring at him with a look of collected calm, almost as if she was waiting for his next move. Then, slowly by slowly she lifted her both her hands and placed two fingers next to the top sides of his neck.

Every second felt like an eternity as he gazed into green eyes staring at him, when he suddenly felt a rush of nostalgia flowing through him. Those eyes remined him of a certain someone; a person whom he hated with gleeful passion. With every fleeting second that he viewed her, however, Jin couldn't help but be reminded of himself as well: a look determination and a purpose to complete. Yet what troubled him the most was how eerily and disturbingly, she resembled someone very precious to him: Tsubaki Yayoi. Between the pale complexion, green eyes, and bright red hair, she could've been a doppelganger of Tsubaki to the untrained eye.

"Who are you?" Jin asked, locked in place. Pyrrha simply smiled gently as she lightly tapped the sides of his neck with her two fingers. In an instant, Jin felt sudden jolt as his eyes widened and his body slowly shut down on him, finally ending with him closing his eyes and falling unconscious. Before he could land face first, Pyrrha caught him, putting her arms around his body as she slowly laid him down on the floor in a sleeping position. She took his sword, Yukianesa, sheathed it back and placed it right next to him as she watched him sleep like child. "Forgive me for doing this, but this was the only way to keep you safe. At least I know now that you will not die by her hands or anyone else for that matter" Pyrrha reassured the unconscious Jin Kisaragi.

"Kokonoe, this is Pyrrha. I've traced the EADAP's Azure Grimoire location to here. I think I've found Ragna. He's mostly likely to be in the lower levels of the NOL Kagutsuchi branch" Pyrrha called in. "Ragna huh? Then that means Hakumen's shouldn't be far. Keep looking Pyrrha, he bound to show up sooner or later" Kokonoe replied through the radio. "Affirmative. And Kokonoe?" the redhead asked, "what wrong?" the scientist replied. "If it's possible, I'd like to request for a medical evac ASAP," Pyrrha requested. "Who it's for?" Kokonoe asked. "Major Jin Kisaragi over" she answered. "You want me to rescue a member of the Librarium? And that too the Hero of Ikaruga? *sigh* fine, seems like we'll get some good info out of interrogating him at least" Kokonoe agreed "but you can't waste any more time here. Find Ragna and Hakumen. That's an order, now go" she continued. "Understood. And…Thank you Kokonoe" Pyrrha said thankfully. "Yeah, yeah, now stop wasting time. Call me again when you've found them, out" and with that reply, there was radio silence once again.

With so much as doing anything, her hands glowed in a black aura as Miló and Akoúo returned to their respective owner. She sheathed her weapons onto her back as she started to walk away from the unconscious body of Jin. "There's only one place Ragna the Bloodedge could go to…...the Cauldron", Pyrrha said as she made her way to the elevator, intending to go deeper into the depths of this mad structure.

The doors of the elevator opened as she entered the inactive Cauldron. All around her, Pyrrha could see signs of a battle that had taken place. Making her way to the center of battlefield, the Sector Seven agent discovered the two fighters responsible for the chaos. The dust cleared as she could clearly see a tall Silhouette covered in white armor standing over a man in a red jacket kneeling before him with his fist slammed to the ground. There was no mistaking it; it was Hakumen and Ragna the Bloodedge. "D-damnit…why isn't it healing!" Ragna gargled, clutching his wounded chest tight. The white samurai stood over him, pointing his blade, "this battle is over Dark One, it is time perish at the hands of my blade and return to the dark abyss from whence you came" Hakumen lorded, raising his sword upward to strike down Ragna. The blade descended in full force in the anticipation of cleaving Ragna in half, and yet, just as the blade was about to strike him, a small projectile connected with sword, deflecting it. "Wh-what the..." Ragna gargled, shocked and surprised that his death had not come. "Who dares to interrupt me!" Hakumen snarled. Turning around, the white Susano'o saw the perpetrator behind the interruption; a young woman with a gun in her hand.

"Kokonoe" …Pyrrha muttered, her hand still in firing position. "Yeah, I see him." Kokonoe affirmed over the radio, "The Armagus seals almost ready. Just keep him busy, and…don't die" she continued. "Don't worry, I won't" Pyrrha reassured, her gaze fixed on Hakumen as he turned to face her. "So, the Grimalkin sends a lapdog to do her bidding. If my intuition is correct, then you are the one referred to as 'Pyrrha Nikos'. Am I correct?" Hakumen inquired, yet every word he uttered sent a chill down her spine. She knew about what Kokonoe had done, what with her bringing him back from the boundary, but this was the first time she got to look at him in person, and it was every bit as intimidating as foretold in the legends. "Y-yes, that is correct" she answered nervously. "Pyrrha Nikos…. agent of Sector Seven, your complexion breeds familiarity but that does obligate me to comply to you or your superior's whims, even if your people brought me back from the brink" Hakumen addressed. "Even so, I've been ordered by Kokonoe to retrieve you. Your existence in this world is still unstable, so please, come back peacefully" the redhead implored. "I already have my own purpose here, one where your interruption would have caused severe ramification. Now, should you interfere in my affairs again, you will face the consequences" Hakumen said as he looked towards a wounded Ragna. Pyrrha stood frozen, unsure as to what she should do next. One the one hand, she was looking at a wanted criminal, one whose actions have chaos and destruction. Even if it was against the NOL, certainly there may have been many innocents caught in the crossfire. Her guess was that Kokonoe would probably want that, since it would make retrieving the Azure Grimoire easier and capturing Hakumen at the same time, ...if she could; two birds with one stone. But on the other hand, she was looking at a helpless man ready to be unceremoniously executed and worse, if she had any misassumptions about Kokonoe or was completely wrong about Ragna, the blood of an innocent man would be on her hands, all because of her false judgement and inaction. Even if he was a criminal, she knew people who were far worse than him. She had to make a choice.

"Whoever you are, get the hell outta here!" Ragna barked, wounded as he was. But those words were just what Pyrrha needed to make her decision, immediately throwing her shield at Hakumen who quickly turned around and deflected it with his sword, making it stuck to a nearby wall. "So, you choose to die alongside the reincarnation of the Black Beast himself?" Pyrrha did not reply to it but simply called forth for her shield as it returned to its masters left hand to which she raised it forward while her rifle rested on it for support. _To think that I would fight a member of the Six Heroes, I can't pull any punches here_ Pyrrha thought as she began to close her eyes. Slowing but surely her body began to permeate a red aura all over, her message expressed fully clear.

"Hah…hahahahaha! Very well, you prefer action over talking. Then show the true extent of your strength little knight lest your death will be swift" the White Susano'o shifted his grip on the blade, holding it forward." I 'am the white void. I 'am the cold steel. I 'am the just sword. With blade in hand shall I reap the sins of this world, and cleanse it in the fires of destruction." Hakumen began to glow in white as his hair momentarily stood up "I 'am Hakumen. The end has come!".

 **Hey guys, hope you're liking this crossover so far,** **and feel to let me know what you think of it as well. Your opinions will matter. Anyways, I 'am planning to continue on this story and hopefully, we can take this journey all the way to Central Fiction**.

 **Until then, have fun and enjoy** **.**


	3. Chapter 3

Pyrrha laid out the first strike with a barrage of constant fire on Hakumen as the warrior advanced onto her, while making sure she kept her distance from him. But even that wasn't enough as the Susano'o unit simply muscled his way through the oncoming attacks, not even bothering to protect himself as each hit simply hindered him momentarily.

' _he isn't even phased by it?'_

Pyrrha stood by with a look of disbelieve. Those rifle shots would be potent enough to kill a normal human being and Hakumen just treated them like mosquito bites. It seems she would have to up the ante if she were to even keep up with him. Seeing as the gap between them got narrower, Pyrrha knew she had to change tactics.

Transforming her rifle into a sword, she dashed forward, intending to take the fight to Hakumen. The two warriors locked swords and shield, with the redhead managing to hold her own, despite the size and strength difference. At least, that's what she thought, until Hakumen pushed her back by quite a distance with little effort, nearly causing her to lose balance. Regaining her stance, she charged forward again, quickly striking at the white knight repeatedly from different angles. Hakumen retaliated with his sword using one hand, pushing her back with every counter.

With every single moment she was tangling with Hakumen, the fight was getting harder and harder by the second. She was giving him everything she had yet he was simply shrugging them off like they were nothing. He had not even begun to fight offensively, simply waiting for her to come to him with her next move; almost as if her was daring her to give it everything she had.

With a frustrated groan, Pyrrha charged forward, intending to attack the White Susano'o directly. However, Hakumen was having none of it, going straight through her attack and grabbing her by the throat. Taken aback by this, Pyrrha struggled to free herself in vain. The vice grip and the immense strength was too much for her as Hakumen lifted her up before tossing her with a massive palm strike that sends her flying across the empty Sheol gate, causing her to momentarily pass out. The glowing red aura that enveloped her disappeared while her weapons separated from her as well.

Waking up, she struggled to get back to her feet. As the dust settled however, she could see Hakumen slowly making his way to her. Pyrrha looked in disbelief: she never got a single hit on him while he knocked the wind out of her without so much as even trying. If it hadn't been for her aura protecting and cushioning her from the collision, she probably would've been severely injured by now.

' _How strong is he!?'_

"What's wrong. Is this supposed to be the exemplification of Sector Seven's finest? Pathetic" Hakumen stood over her, towering in stature and terrifying in presence. She could feel his aura, the unshakeable feeling of pure strength and power. The only other person to have such a presence was the Mad Dog Azrael, and even then, she felt Hakumen surpassed him as well.

Pyrrha could feel it; the feeling of helplessness. The feeling of being unable to do anything. this feeling was of frustration angered her greatly.

"In the presence of my blade, your powers are comparable to that of a child's toy. Now pay for your transgression" Hakumen said, as he raised his sword to strike Pyrrha down as she watched helplessly. It seems the end had come for her early. But she was not about to give up. Not yet. Not when she had unfinished business.

"I …cannot…DIE YET" Pyrrha let out a shout as her arm enveloped in black causing her shield Akoúo came to back her side and block the killing blow. As she struggled to keep Hakumen at bay, her sword blindsided the White knight, although it simply knocked him back by a few meters rather than actually hurt him. It did, however, allow her to get back up to her feet, exhausted as she was and called forth for her sword, ready for another round. "So, you will not accept death easily. Very well then, I will idle by no longer either" Hakumen chuckled, amused at the situation at hand.

The Susano'o unit poised himself, raising his sword upward while channeling all of his power onto it. "Empty Skyfall: Summers Adv- ", Hakumen was interrupted as massive rings of magical seals descended from above, encircling the white knight and rendering him immobile. "Phenomenon Intervention?! Grimalkin! You would dare!"

Pyrrha heaved a sigh of relief. It seems Kokonoe's plan had come to fruition and not a moment too soon. She could barely maintain her own powers and if Hakumen had his way, she probably would've been vaporized or at least that's how she felt. "Pyrrha you ok?" Kokonoe asked. "Yes, I'm fine. Your plan work- "

But it seems she spoke too soon.

"You will not interfere!" Hakumen shouted as he willed himself and shattered the seal. Pyrrha looked on with a feeling of fear and anxiety for now she was really in trouble. Through sheer force of will, Hakumen had reaffirmed his own existence in the face of a Phenomenon Intervention: an act that was practically impossible. She barely had any strength left to keep up with him while the Hakumen seemed hardly fazed, right before turning his attention to her again, ready to continue where he left off. "Shit! Pyrrha get out there!" the scientist yelled. Instead, Pyrrha raised her shield and gripped her sword tight as she prepared to make her last stand. If she was going to die, she would go down fighting.

"Hey! Masked Freak! We aren't done yet" a voice yelled out from across the room. Emerging from the darkness was none other than Ragna the Bloodedge, with his sword in hand limping towards Hakumen. "Dead Spike!" Ragan shouted as he slashed his sword forward, causing a massive shadow like beast making its way towards Hakumen in its wake. In return, Hakumen sliced through it, disintegrating the beast before it could even touch him.

" Dark One. It is time to put an end to you"

Hakumen's full attention was now on Ragna. "I ain't going down that easy, you damn piece of armor." Ragna raised his right hand as masses of dark energy began forming around it. "Restriction Number 666 released. Dimensional Interruption Imaginary Number Formed" a blue seal formed around the Grim Reaper "Blazblue Activate! You want a fight freak. You got it!" and by some miracle, the once injured man was once again energized, ready to take on a member of the six heroes.

Pyrrha could scarcely believe her eyes as she saw Ragna clashing with Hakumen. The last time she saw him, he was one the verge of near death and she herself barely held her own against the Susano'o unit. Now, not only did he seem empowered, he was going toe to toe with Hakumen. "is this…...the Azure Grimoire?" she muttered to herself before quickly getting out of her stupor, shaking her head to snap herself back into reality. This was not the time to stand around like an idiot. She needed to hatch a plan quickly for both their lives would be at stake. On a closer inspection, it would seem that Hakumen was fully focused on Ragna while completely ignoring her; just what she needed.

"Pyrrha, I'm gonna set up that seal on him again, but I need him to be off guard. It's gonna be hard but think you can do that?"

"Yes, I can" Pyrrha chimed. Beaten and bruised as she was, it wasn't the time to give up. "Good, use an Overdrive; it's your best chance"

While Sector Seven was generally against the use of Ars Magus, believing in the inherent superiority of science, they were willing to acknowledge its benefits as well. As such, they made exceptions for certain situations to call for the use of an Armagus. Tager, Pyrrha, Kokonoe and a certain Kagutsuchi mole included.

"Unleashing Armagus" Pyrrha said as blue thin energy formed around her. There was a feeling of relief and a burden being lifted. She still wasn't at 100% but for the moment, she could go at it again.

But she had to be quick, the overdrive would last only a precious few seconds and as such, she dashed towards the center of the fight.

Ragna was holding his own with the help of the Azure Grimoire, but his injuries prior was catching up to him, giving Hakumen the upper hand and making it only a matter of time before he would emerge victorious. In need to finish the fight quickly, Ragna jumped through the air, enhancing his sword with dark energy, in the hopes of landing a decisive blow from above. But Hakumen had other plans as he raised his sword Okami to block the attack. Just before the hit connected, a red seal formed on the front, receiving the hit instead, taking the Grim Reaper completely by surprise "What the?"

"Empty Skyfall: Winters Repulse!"

In a blitz of blinding speed, Hakumen sliced through Ragna, who fell to the ground lifelessly with a massive gash across his chest. The Bloodedge screamed, shook and tossed his body in response to the immense pain he was suffering, like a fish out of water. Slamming his fist to the ground, he tried to get up but it was to no avail; his wounds were far to grievous to recover from. All he could do was turn his limp body around to a sleeping position, panting feverously as he watched himself helpless before his enemy. Hakumen was ready to deliver the Coup De Grace on the Black Beast once again.

And once again, he was interrupted by Pyrrha Nikos who threw her shield and sword. But rather than going in for one direct frontal hit, they were moving in ways akin to flying: their master controlling them magnetically.

"I grow tired of your meddling!" Hakumen shouted in anger. Pyrrha gulped down as she remotely controlled her weapons, striking him from multiple angles. The method proved to effective at keeping him at bay, though not for anything else productive. Unfortunately for her, the overdrive had run its course, and now she fighting on whatever was left. That didn't last long either, as she herself was firmly exhausted.

Unbeknownst to Hakumen, Ragna had mustered up just enough strength to get up back to his feet. Channeling every single power of the Azure Grimoire left, he charged at Hakumen who was still distracted by Pyrrha. The White Susano'o turned around to the sound of a definitive war cry, only to be on the receiving end of a massive uppercut, courtesy of Regna's sword.

"Inferno Eradicator!" the Grim Reaper shouted as he ploughed through Hakumen upwards, before descending with a massive sword slam, destroying the surrounding area and sending him crashing and tumbling, finally dealing out the first major damage to Hakumen.

"What was that?" Hakumen grimaced at being completely caught off guard.

Before he could even retaliate however, Kokonoe placed the Armagus seals on him again, this time, with more power behind them. The Susano'o unit struggled with all of his might but it was in vain. "You're not getting out of this one, ya damn turd. Now quit bitching and let me haul you over." Kokonoe taunted. "Grimalkin! This isn't over" Hakumen snarled before disappearing in a flash of purple electricity. And just like that, the battle was over, though it felt more like a war for Pyrrha.

As the dust settled, Pyrrha looked around at the carnage that had occurred. Rubbing the back of her head, she walked over to pick up her weapons, too tired to use her semblance. Seeing Ragna nursing over his wounds, she walked over to him with the intention of helping him. Much to her surprise, Ragna seemed to be doing better than most for someone who was nearly sliced in half by Hakumen as he was sitting in a recovering position rather than lying in a pool of his own blood. Perhaps it was the adverse effect of the Azure Grimoire or something else that her hypothesis suggested. Speaking of injuries, Hakumen certainly gave them a run for their money, though Ragna took the brunt of it while Pyrrha herself discovered his strength the hard way when she was almost taken out in one hit. "I can see now why mother admired him so much" she muttered to herself. He had certainly earned the title of Leader of the Six Heroes and it would seem that the tales of him told by her mother were no exaggeration. If what Kokonoe said was true, that he was currently nothing but a shell of his former self…. she shunned to think how invincible he would've been in his prime. Sheathing her weapons behind her back, Pyrrha made her way over to Ragna.

"God…...dammit"

"Are you all alright?" Pyrrha inquired." Ain't none of your damn business "the Grim Reaper scowled as he got to his feet "And what the hell were you thinking, getting involved like that!"

Pyrrha was taken aback at the blunt response, lowering her head in a gesture akin to shame and disappointment. "I'm sorry, but…. when saw you in trouble, I just had to help you" she apologized.

Ragna knew that feeling; the feeling that attacks him whenever he said and did something at the most inopportune of moments. It was a feeling of guilt and that girl had just brought it out of him. He grumbled at the thought of it yet somehow felt compelled to say it out loud while looking in the other direction "I mean… what I meant to say was…. thank you. Thank you for helping me out ".

Pyrrha blinked in surprise, but nodded in agreement. "It's alright. It is my obligation to help others in need" she replied before extending her hand "we should leave this place".

' _did the infamous Grim Reaper just thanked me?'_

she couldn't get it out of her head what just happened moments ago.

Instead Ragna started walking off in the other direction, to the outer breaches of the Sheol gate" not yet…there's still somethings I gotta do here. This has got nothing to do with you. Get outta here while you still can" Ragna said glancing aside from his shoulder with his back turned.

Rather than comply, Pyrrha walked towards him without a shred of hesitation. That familiar feeling that has been haunting her for such a long time drew nearer and she just couldn't leave him to his own devices, both for her own morals and her orders.

"The hell are you doing? I told you to leave" Ragna said with annoyance as he opened the gate to the cauldron.

"I've seen the dangers of the cauldron" Pyrrha argued while standing next to Ragna" I'm coming help you". Ragna could see it in the girl's face. It was a looked of either determination or completely stubbornness. Either way, it seems she had made her mind and isn't going to budge. He groaned at the situation he was in.

"Dammit fine. Just don't get in my way "Ragna answered, placing his hand on his face sighing and brooding all the way

As the two made their way to the center, the closed mouth of cauldron began to open as bright currents of energy emerged from within. The portal to the boundary was revealed and with it, its guardian: Prime Field Device, Nu-13. Pyrrha felt nauseated just thinking about it, but there was no denying that her worst fears had come true; the cycle was about to repeat itself all over again. From a massive superstructure arising beneath the submerged cauldron, emerged a young girl with sunken red eyes and a long silver hair tied into a braid with a sword at its tip. She wore a bright jumpsuit with a cape draped across her shoulders while also having an eyepatch in her right eye. A feeling of uneasiness and discomfort took over Pyrrha as the girl descended upon them while Ragna gripped his sword and gritted his teeth in anticipation.

"Loading, loading, loading, loading…. All systems: normal. Activating Murakumo" the girl slowly opened her eye. "Scanning: complete. Auto-mode: confirmed. Two subjects confirmed: first target…...combat ability A+. Commencing operation mode A. Activate termination protocol" Pyrrha tensed up and readied herself in response." Second target…" the Murakumo unit remained silent for a moment. "…. Rag….na.…."

Then in a sudden shift in mood, the emotionless exterior cracked as she began to smile" Ragna?! It's really been a while isn't it? So, what is it this time. Third?" she spoke joyfully, almost as if she was an entirely different person.

But Ragna was unfettered. "Fourth" he bluntly replied.

Hearing this, the girl giggled in joy, "so did you come to kill me again?" she gleefully asked.

"Not kill. Destroy" The Grim Reaper responded coldly.

"Same difference silly! *giggle* you know…. the last time we met, you really went all out on me. When you were stabbing and slicing me, ….it hurt so much you know"

"Shut up"

"It felt wonderful. You were smiling and looked so happy doing it. Stabbing me when I was completely defenseless. But today…. today's gonna be completely different. I've got a new body too, see!"

"I said shut up! That face! That voice! Don't you dare talk to me like that! I'm come to destroy you and that's all there is to it. There is nothing! Nothing! We need to talk over" an enraged Ragna drew his sword, preparing to lay out the first strike.

For a second, Nu almost seemed distraught at first, before letting out a quick glance at Pyrrha.

"Ragna, who's that? are you seeing someone else other than me? You know I can't allow you to do that, right" Nu eyes transfixed upon Pyrrha with a cold gaze, seemingly with killing intent.

Before Ragna could say anything, Pyrrha stepped up in front of him. "I 'am here of my own accord. He has nothing to with this. You may not remember it or even know of it…. but…. you took something from me: the lives of the people I cared about. I know this is not of your own doing but…. forgive me" Pyrrha said, pointing her sword at Nu.

Suddenly the Murakumo unit started letting out a maniacal laughter, as a massive sword teleported behind her. In a flash, the sword disappeared as she was surrounded in armor from head to toe, with eight disembodied blades floating behind her in a wing-like position.

"So, you want it rougher this time around. Isn't that right Ragna" Nu said as she poised for combat.

Ragna attempted the first strike before Pyrrha rushed ahead of him charging straight into Nu. She went for straight jab which was easily evaded as Nu flew backwards. Picking up on the momentum, Pyrrha tried for a horizontal slash but again, it was dodged quickly. Not about to give up she went for a lunged attack only for Nu to disappear right under her nose as Milo hit the ground. The redhead quickly turned around, only to be met by a barrage of virtual swords coming at her, both from the air and the beneath the ground, forcing her to quickly and nimbly dodge them all.

"Nu!" while she was busy being distracted, Ragna took it upon himself to strike her down while she was off guard. With his right fist covered in darkness, he dashed forward only for Nu to dodge it at the last second. Not wasting a second, Ragna motion his hand as a small beast emerged from the ground to consume its target. But even that was to no avail as Nu slashed it with her floating swords before returning to face Ragna.

Meanwhile, Pyrrha had finished dodging all of the petal swords that Nu had unleashed; while most were eluded, some did many to land a hit on her causing a few bruises and cuts. Considering it was not the time to nurse such minor wounds, she quickly looked around before realizing that Nu's full attention was now on Ragna. Not about to waste a golden opportunity, she mustered up all of her strength as a black aura surrounded her arm. A body that seems to be completely made of metal meant only one thing. She pointed her hand towards Nu and motioned for it, ready to control her.

And then…nothing happened. She tried again, tensing up her body and still the results were the same. Going for a third attempt, she amped herself up to the highest degree possible and once again, nothing came of it. This meant only one thing.

"N-no way. This is…. this is impossible. A Nox Nyctores?!" Pyrrha looked over in shock. Her semblance of Polarity, in the right place and the right time, could potentially allow her to be unstoppable; so long as it was within the boundaries of the laws of the current existing world and its logic. Which meant things that can manipulate casualty or are beyond expected logic are out of the equation, including Nox Nyctores causality weapons. Now she knew of the existence of the first nine that were created during the First Ars Magus wars. But a tenth? This is certainly a worst-case scenario.

Nevertheless, Pyrrha knew she had to keep her composure and not panic. As she observed, she could see the Murakumo unit gaining the upper hand. Knowing she had to do something quick, Pyrrha transformed Milo' into a javelin and with a quick yet steady aim, threw it at her target.

As Nu gained offense on Ragna, a weapon hit her from behind, temporarily disabling her. Recovering quickly, she turned around and boosted towards Pyrrha.

"Divine Radiance Murakumo: Deploying Petals" she commanded as numerous swords flew out of a portal and headed straight for Pyrrha. Before she could move out of harm's way, a seal was formed beneath her which suddenly made gravity many times more intense and to make matters worse, a flurry of swords came in from her sides as well. Now all Pyrrha could do was charge up her remaining aura reserves, raise her shield and hope for the best. And unfortunately for her, the best cast scenario was in the form of her weathering a flurry of swords as it struck her from all sides. If it hadn't been for the last remaining Aura, she would've been completely obliterated. Every second felt like an eternity, but once the carnage was over, all that was left of Pyrrha was bruises and cuts as she fell to the ground, passing out from the injuries.

"No! That's it …...Nu…. your dead meat!" Ragna roared in rage as he charged towards Nu only to be blindside by a multitude of swords as well. Pummeled by overwhelming force, Ragna succumbed to his wounds and stood over on one knee. Without wasting a single second, a sword stabbed Ragna right through Nu herself. "You should have eyes only for me Ragna" the Murakumo unit said as she held him tight in masochistic embrace.

"Garrgh! Why…... You!" Ragna gargled as blood poured out of his mouth.

"Hahahahaha! You're…. just…like me. Hahaha! You hate the world just as much as I do. You want to destroy it all don't you? This whole world" Nu cackled like a lunatic, dragging Ragna and herself towards the edge of the cauldron, nearing themselves into the boundary.

"What the…. hell are you…. talking about?" Ragna tried to power through to pain but it was to no avail. Even for someone as strong as him, there was just some things he couldn't handle, for he had already been through a hellish bout with Hakumen and now he was in a lifetime of pain.

"You have the power: The Azure Grimoire. The power to fight against humanity and you wanna use it don't you. We're one and the same Ragna. And that's why…...I'm the only one for you. Nobody understands you like I do Ragna"

"Bitch" Ragna said in an act of defiance.

"Come Ragna. Let's you and I destroy this world. You know you want to. You and I can go on and on and on and on forever and ever"

Pyrrha opened her eyes just in time to see Ragna and Nu standing on the edge of the cauldron. However, she was too injured to do anything about it. There it was, the horrible memory playing itself all over again. Just as it was before, she was helpless to prevent the calamity. She thought she could change fate, but perhaps this was what Rachel meant when she said not to involve herself too much: It was not her role, no matter how hard she would try to defy it. But now, it didn't matter, the calamity had started and it was too late to save him.

"S-stop it"

Despite her pleas, Nu fell on deaf ears and with a slight nudge, the two fell over edge and into the boundary.

"You can't change fate right. Nothing at all. So, don't fight it Ragna. Just let it be" Nu reassured Ragna in her own twisted way, holding him in her tight embrace as the two disappeared into the abyss of the boundary.

It was over.

Pyrrha could do nothing but clenched her fist and grit her teeth as tears fell down from her cheeks.

"I've failed…. I've failed again. Why does this happen to me. I 'am so …sorry" Pyrrha could do nothing but be look down on herself in shame. Everything she did, everything she worked for, was nothing but farce.

As she wallowed in self-pity however, something else was coming into play. Her eyes widened as the earth shook, trembling violently.

"Pyrrha…" Kokonoe called. The girl hesitated for a moment before responding, "Kokonoe? I'm …. sorry. I've messed it up bad."

"I know. I don't blame you. It isn't just your fault, everything around this place just seems to run on bad luck. Actually, as a matter of fact, I'm sorry for putting you through all this. You've done everything I've asked of you, so thank you. I've just …. just been so busy with what I wanted that days have gone by without me even noticing it" the professor reciprocated. Pyrrha was shocked at hearing this. The Kokonoe she knew would never go out her way to thank or even apologize for anything. Her being sentimental almost felt out of character. Yet, when it came down to it…it felt good. There was a pleasant feeling in someone she looked up to and mentored her, give her praise and approval in her worst hours. Still , it was pretty strange, almost enough for her to consider a hoax.

"Hakumen…...has been retrieved but…...is something wrong Kokonoe. Are you alright? Has something bad happened to you?"

"No, nothing like that. Why ask?" Kokonoe responded.

"Well, it's just, you've never thanked me before, that's all". Something felt wrong here. Kokonoe's behavior felt too different. It almost seemed as if she was being nihilistic.

"Really...hmm…never thought of that. In any case, it was an honor working with you. I can't wait to see you again Pyrrha" the static within the radio increased dramatically before the communication was completely cut off.

' _see me again. What does she mean?'_ As of right now, Pyrrha had a lot of questions to ask, and the cryptic message of Kokonoe only made her more confused.

But it seems her questions would go unanswered as the world around her enveloped in a bright light before everything around her disintegrated as she herself joined and in a flash, it was finished. Those thoughts she had, along with everything else in this world, disintegrated in a few moments.

Rachel Alucard looked over the pristine night sky and she floated atop the ruins of the wiped-out city. "You should have heeded my warning Pyrrha. You can't change what's already been set. It isn't your duty nor your role. In this endless dance, you are but a part of a puppet shows that goes on forever and ever" she pondered. But as she watched over the remains of Kagutsuchi, a slight smile passed by her lips "until next time, young Pyrrha, we will meet again".

* _Complete Annihilation of the 13_ _th_ _Hierarchical city of Kagutsuchi: confirmed._

 _Phase #725 completed successfully._

 _System operating within normal limits._

 _Transmitting all data to Takamagahara._

 _System will now proceed to Phase#726*_

 _Somewhere in an unknown plane of existence, there was room. It was bedroom with a little girl lying under the blanket. An older woman sat beside her with a book in hand._

" _Once upon a time, there a Black Beast that ravaged the earth. The Beast was very strong and it ate many people. People fought with all their might but alas, the beast was too strong and they were helpless against it. When all hope was lost…. came a white knight. He called himself Hakumen and with 5 other champions, helped the people finally defeat the beast. From the ashes came a new world, and the people gave their saviors the title of the Six Heroes. But now without their champions, the people fear the return of the beast and for that, they pray; hoping that their saviors would once again come to help them in their hour of greatest need." She read._

" _is it true? that the Black Beast would come back again" the little girl asked nervously huddled inside her blanket with her toy beside her._

 _The woman smiled and patted the girl gently in the head. "No silly. It's been years since that happened. Right now, there's been nothing but peace and quiet"_

 _Hearing this, the little girl heaved a sigh of relief as she smiled at the woman._

" _It's getting late now. You should go to sleep" the woman said as she kissed the little girl in the forehead before making her way to the door." Is Hakumen tucked away safely?" the woman asked. In response the little girl held her toy tightly and nodded earnestly at the woman._

 _As the lights shut down, the woman looked back at the little girl one last time._

" _Even if it was true. Your Father and I would always protect you" the woman said as she smiled_

" _Saya"_

 _Saya_

 _Saya…...Saya? That name …. feels so…... familiar…but…...so different. Saya huh..._

"Pyrrha? Pyrrha! Hello…earth to Pyrrha" a voice blared over. Pyrrha suddenly opened her eyes, only to find herself within the Kagutsuchi Port." Kokonoe?!" the redhead replied, quickly snapping into attention.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for hours! Thought you got vaporized or something. Are you in Kagutsuchi yet?" the scientist scolded.

"Yes, I 'am and s-sorry…. I just had a feeling of Déjà vu and I…...spaced out"

"Well get it out of your system. I need you to meet up with Tager" Kokonoe order." Something big just happened and Ragna the Bloodedge is already here"

"He is?!" Pyrrha asked with bewilderment. "So that means Hakumen will already be here as well?"

"That's something I'm taking care of myself. Tager's down there in the lower part of city and it's already crawling with NOL. He's a big target, so I need you to be his eyes and ears"

"Very well, I'm on it" Pyrrha said in agreement. "Good, establish contact only when you need to. Out"

Pyrrha walked over to the edge of the port. It was a breathtaking sight to be sure, but just as she was about to bask in its beauty, flashes of images passed through her mind. Clutching her head in pain, the images eventually stopped. It was vague…. but even from the little she could make out, she was unable to put two and two together. In any case, she had to get back to her mission of meeting up with Tager and it was a long way down.

"Kagutsuchi…...what do you have in store for me?"

 **And with that, the prologue of the story is complete with an arcade-esque style. There's still a long way to go and the real story has just begun. Hope you all have a blast reading it**


	4. Chapter 4

"Something just doesn't…feel right. I feel like I've been here befo-… Guaah! my... h…head!" Pyrrha trembled in pain as she clutched her head.

Strange…yes, strange was the best word to describe the feelings Pyrrha was having right now. Just moments ago, a massive static coursed through her head, showing her strange images, all the while leaving a painful headache in its aftermath. Of course, existing from another possibility herself, Pyrrha guessed the images too, originated from other possibilities. These had become regular occurrences ever since she stepped foot in Kagutsuchi. Her instinct told her to head straight for the Librarium branch and do what she felt was necessary, yet the after static images that she had suffered from as well as the feelings of Déjà vu that followed suit, gave her doubt. For when all was said and done, in those visions, the most prominent was one which had her conversing with Rachel Alucard. While the other visions were hazy, her apparent conversation was clear as day and she could somehow remember it like it were imprinted onto her. " _You're just a knight in this game of chess. There are somethings even you would do well not to stick your nose under"_ those words drilled into her head over and over, like showing a picture to a child repeatedly in order to make them remember. At this point she was facing a dilemma: what was she to do? Go with her hunch and set right what once went wrong? Or does she follow her orders and make for the bottom of the city, keeping her hands out of any affairs while letting the wheels keep turning?

At first it seemed like a troublesome situation, as Pyrrha was unsure what route she should take. She hated the thought of doing this, but at this rate, it would seem the Vampire just maybe in the right; after all, she was her Prime Observer and as such, knew far more than Pyrrha could ever imagine, even if her words were cryptic most of the time and difficult to properly interpret.

"Don't involve myself is it?" Pyrrha pondered to herself "very well miss Rachel, I'll heed your words". And with that, she had made her decision to follow orders and make her way to Tager regardless of the distance.

As she slowly made her descent, Pyrrha found herself in the middle of a small town, as odd as it may seem. While it was on the fringes of the city, it had a completely different flavor to that of Kagutsuchi. The architecture, the people and even their houses seemed a out of context. It had a more of an Ikaruga flavor to it; a land Pyrrha herself was familiar to an extent, though unfortunately it was during the turmoil of war. Speaking of war, if the information given to her was correct and that these people are in fact refugees of the Ikaruga Civil War, then it seems she had landed smack dap right in the middle of the Ronin Gai district. "Strange little town and even stranger place to live" she muttered as she looked around the place "To etch out a living with the very people who destroyed your homes". Still, it was pretty impressive that they managed to bounce back and make the most of what they had "If I'm in Ronin Gai, Orient town shouldn't be far off; that's where I'll find Tager".

She continued down the path not stopping for any of towns offers until she was stopped dead in her tracks by the sight of a very familiar individual. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man who walked with a cool allure and a standoffish aura. With a blond hair and striking green eyes, it was none other than Major Jin Kisaragi: the famed hero of Ikaruga.

Yet his mere presence here, in Ronin Gai of all places made her worried and uncertain even more. ' _If he's here and not in the NOL branch headquarters then…._ 'a worried though raced through Pyrrha's head, the most prominent one being what his presence here meant

' _does that mean the times have changed?'_ she had felt that something was wrong and those static images merely enforced it, and now there was no getting around it: If he was here and not in the NOL branch as she expected then that means she was several hours early. And if that was the case, then that meant that a ripple in the whatever timelines they were in have caused several changes.

Suddenly the town fell silent, with an audible wind breezing being a loudest there is for all other noises had been blocked out by Pyrrha. Right now, there was only her and him standing in the way. If there was any time to make a change, now would be the best shot. Taking a big gulp of air down her throat, Pyrrha made her way towards Jin.

"Who would've thought there'd be a town here…...Hmph. More like a pathetic excuse for a town" Jin scowled as he took a look around his surroundings as per his usual self. Disobeying orders in order to track down and find the Grim Reaper himself had brought him all the way here. Not knowing the true reason why, something about it just drew him to the city like a moth to lightbulb. "that's odd…...huh?" Jin Kisaragi found himself being approached out of sudden by a young girl with red hair. He took a good look at her as she made her way, and managed to discern out her features, something that made him churn out and uncomfortable: she resembled Tsubaki to a small extent in not only her facial features but also in her modest clothing and in the way, she carried herself.

"Jin Kisaragi of the NOL?" the girl asked. "So, what if I 'am. What do you want" Jin replied coldly. The girl looked stunned but with a sigh she continued "My name is Pyrrha Nikos. You may or may not know of who I 'am but I have something important to tell you".

"I've heard that name before. Sector Seven was it? Hmph. You and your organization have absolutely nothing that interests me" Jin answered with an irritated tone. "And right now, I don't have time for idle chat so if you'll excuse me" said the Hero of Ikaruga as made his way past Pyrrha shrugging off the offer.

But she was not one to be deterred. "I came here with a warning for you!" the redhead asserted, causing Jin to stop in his track and turn around. "And what warning could possible so important that it warrants me lending my precious time!?" he angrily inquired. "If you proceed to the NOL headquarters right now, your life will be in grave danger. Please for your own safety, let Sector Seven take care it" she pleaded.

Pyrrha looked at him with pleading eyes as he simply stood there silently. For a moment she was hoping for a positive reply despite the initial reception. Jin however slowly but surely, beneath that stoic wall began to crack a smile. But that smile was not one of a happy reception, rather a psychotic smirk that eventually burst into a maniacal cackle "Ha…. hahahahaha! You really expect me to believe that garbage. You think you're the first one to tell me this" the man clucked out of control. And then all of a sudden, his mood switched to that of vicious seriousness in a blink of an eye. "Let me give you this one and only warning: If you stand in my way, I will cut you down".

At this point, Pyrrha could only lower her head and sigh deeply in sadness and disappointed. Try as she might, she knew there was only so much she could do with a man this much stubborn or determined as it could be interpreted. In response, Pyrrha changed into her combat attire "very well, I'm sorry for having to do this" she answered.

"Worthless trash" Jin scoffed as he readied Yukianesa.

For moments, the two warriors did nothing but stand still, the gaze of their eyes fixed upon the other, waiting for the first move. Pyrrha could see in him; that cold ruthlessness of determination. His survival was her highest priority; she needed to fight with the ferocity and strength to either convince him to concede or weaken him enough to take him somewhere else far away but she knew better than to expect him to anything but merciful. The redhead knew from her own perspective and his, that to Jin, she was a complete stranger at best and an enemy based on their alignments at worst.

Jin was the first to initiate the attack as he dashed towards his opponent with great speed and struck with a cross slash. Pyrrha stepped out of range, barely in the nick of time. However, before she could retaliate, Jin drove his boot into her stomach, sending her flying by quite a distance. He readily went after her, raising his sword up vertically to strike her down, only to be met by her shield. Pyrrha got up and locked blades with the hero of Ikaruga, parrying his every attack. Jin quickly struck Yukianesa onto the ground, letting out a thick ice blanket, causing Pyrrha to flip back and keep her distance. Taking the opportunity, the blonde burst out of the ice blanket and shot out volleys of shards from his hand, which Pyrrha blocked with Akoúo̱enhanced with a barrier Ars. Without stopping, Jin immediately sheathed his blade before releasing a large ice crystal shaped like a sword, sending it flying straight towards Pyrrha. The redhead quickly sidestepped and cut down ice sword with Miló only for Jin to take the opportunity to launch a surprise attack. The hero of Ikaruga went for a horizontal slash, only for Pyrrha to duck underneath before countering with an uppercut from Akoúo̱ and striking him with the shield again on his stomach sending him flying.

 _Did I…. get hit?_ Jin's face was burning with rage as he gritted teeth and clutched his stomach. A snarl went up through his throat "So that's how you want it, is it?". Jin ran towards Pyrrha at breakneck speed, swinging his blade aggressively yet with precision. His onslaught pushed his foe back as he laid out offense after offense, each of which was being desperately parried and countered blow for blow.

The clanging sounds of blades echoed through Ronin Gai as the two warriors traded attack after attack; For each hit with Yukianesa, Pyrrha would strike back with Miló. Try as she might, Pyrrha found herself unable to gain the upper hand, much like Jin was in the same position. The difference being that she was holding back as much as she could. Despite the seemingly obvious nature of Yukianesa, she knew her polarity would have no effect on a Nox Nyctores, and in a town built cliffside, her attempt to use metals would only cause the fragile foundations to be ripped apart, leading to certain doom for the innocents living in the place. Alternatively, despite having to fight with only her skills and her weapons; based on way he fought, Jin himself didn't seem to be going all out yet.

After minutes of constant fighting, Jin and Pyrrha found themselves in a locked stalemate as their swords clashed and the two stared at each other momentarily before pushing the other backwards. At this moment Pyrrha knew she had to find a way to end the fight quickly, lest the hero of Ikaruga started getting serious; a thought that came too little too late.

"Enough! It's time to end this! Yukianesa!" Jin shouted as he put him hands on the ground. Slowly but surely the air around started getting colder and moist as a thick fog enveloped around Pyrrha. Seeing the escalating yet dire situation, she gripped her weapons tightly as she could, ready for any surprise attack that may come from the fog. With the abilities of that particular Nox Nyctores, the attack could come from anywhere and in any form, whether it'd be little shards of ice or massive crystalize swords.

What she did not foresee however was the fact that the attack from come from beneath her as ice started forming from the ground, gripping her legs tightly as Pyrrha struggled to get out of it quickly, all to no avail. Much like a reverse quick sand, the ice blanket wasted no time holding her in place while working its way waist up, till it reached her neck, covering her entire body and effectively trapping her.

As hard as she tried, Pyrrha found herself frozen in place and unable to move, despite struggling as hard as she could. "Is this the best Sector Seven has to offer?" Jin said as he reappeared before a cleared fog "You really didn't think you could win, did you", he boasted, carrying a smirk under that emotionless exterior. With the way she handicapped herself, Pyrrha knew he was right: The hero of Ikaruga lived up to his title. The ice itself had shattered, freeing Pyrrha from the frigid prison. She fell onto the ground with loud thud, feeling exhausted from the frigid exposure to the ice, numbing her body in the process. It would take a while before she could recover, despite her aura protecting her as she felt the absolute zero effects of Yukianesa.

"I've wasted enough time on you" Jin said as he slowly turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. Before he could progress any further however, rows of shuriken landed right in front of Jin, stopping him in his tracks. Before he could react to it, a puff of smoke exploded nearby and from its wake came four figures, all of whom resembled ninjas. "Jin Kisaragi! Servant of the NOL. I have searched high and low for you!" The one in middle loudly proclaimed. He stood out from the others with his spiky brown hair, an X shaped scar on his face and the near outlandish attire he wore with a massive nail on his back.

"Who the hell are you?" Jin asked unfazed. "Who am I?! Perhaps my scar will remind you of our last encounter!" the outlandish ninja shouted. "Not really" Jin replied nonchalantly.

"Why you!" one of the ninja angrily growled as he clenched his fist. Before he could make another move, the first one put his arms in front of the other ninja, motioning him to stop. "B-Boss?" the ninja said puzzled. "This one is mine boys" the first one said. From the way they addressed him as "Boss", it would seem he was their leader. He stepped forward, commanded his subordinates to head over to Pyrrha, who herself had just recovered.

"Miss are you okay" one of the subordinate ninja asked, reaching out his hand to help her back up to her feet. "Yes, thank you" Pyrrha answered as she accepted the help. It really wasn't necessary for her but the thought behind the act kindness was enough for her to receive it in return. "The destruction of my hometown was the gravest of crimes you could've ever committed. But to think you would stoop this low to harm a hapless young lady! Is there any limit to your depravity! And to think you of all people would wear the title of my home, after you destroyed it just to sully its name even further!" the ninja angrily accused. The blonde rolled his eyes and led out a deep sigh of annoyance at what he was experiencing now. "Hmph, first of all, that woman is far from helpless. And if you're talking about Ikaruga then that is none of my concern." he replied, unfazed.

One the other side, Pyrrha had armed herself and was about to make her way to Jin only to be blocked by the three subordinate ninjas. "Please, let me pass. I must help him" she asked anxiously. "You don't have to worry about that miss. Boss is gonna show that criminal what he's made of!" the other subordinate replied confidently, showing their trust and faith in their leader with a thumbs-up gesture. Pyrrha could only let out a sigh at the absurdity and looked over at the confrontation with disbelief and worry.

With an exuberant pose, the Ninja pointed his finger at Jin, "I 'am the Hero who fights for the people of Kagutsuchi in the name of Love and Justice! The name is Bang Shishigami!" he loudly proclaimed. His subordinates snapped up straight in salute, "Godspeed Boss!" they said in unison, with tears running down their cheeks, leaving even Pyrrha with a look of deaminated shock and dumdfoundedness.

"Ikaruga will be avenged! En guarde!" he continued as he jumped up high in the air. At this point the NOL major himself was just annoyed at his mere presence and wanted to get this over with, rolling his eyes in irritation. "Trash just keeps coming" he pondered as he readied himself yet again.

What came after could only be described as trashing of the highest magnitude; and Jin was not the one on the receiving end of it. Pyrrha watched awkwardly with discomfort as Bang was hopelessly getting pummeled in embarrassing fashion, with the sounds of smacking and Bang screaming in pain following. Try as he might, the Ninja of Love and Justice was just nowhere near a match for someone the likes of Jin Kisaragi.

Yet, as Pyrrha watched, every time Bang got knocked down, he would get right back up again. Time and time again, despite how one-sided the fight looked, Bang retaliated with vigor, intensity and fervor. Seeing his determination, Pyrrha couldn't help but let out a smile at how stubborn the ninja was; it invoked a feeling of nostalgia seeing someone as hopeless as Bang be this obstinate. As a matter of fact, it remined her of someone, …...someone that the unconscious part of her mind seemed to look upon with fondness yet unable to remember anything at all as hard as she tried to.

"I…...I cannot be defeated here! The plight of the innocent's rests on my shoulders!" Bang grunted, breathing heavily. Bang's plight was enough for Pyrrha to snap her up from her stupor and quickly assess the situation…and what she saw wasn't good at all. The heroic ninja had finally succumbed to defeat, and Jin was ready to strike the final blow. With a sense of urgency, she looked over anything that could be of help, anything that could save Bang. Her eyes moved left and right, …...until she saw the gauntlets over his wrists, providing her with the perfect opportunity to help him without anyone noticing despite the outline of silver coating, which worried her a little. Concentrating as hard as she could, her hands started emitting a black outline as she made an attempt to control the silver gauntlets of Bang, …however weak the magnetism of silver was. And just barely did she manage to lift it up, in time to block the strike from Jin's sword and pulled the other to strike at Jin, causing him to take a few steps back, all the while making it look like Bang had done it of his own accord. "So, you still have some fight left in you" Jin murmured. Even the ninja himself looked in disbelief, "Where is this strength coming from?! Is the spirit of my master guiding my hand?" he said puzzled. Pulling near non-magnetic objects like silver was akin to pulling a boulder with a rope tied to it, the task was difficult compelling her to find alternatives: ones which came in the form of shuriken lying all over the ground. "I've had enough of this!" Jin scowled, releasing an oncoming wave of ice towards Bang. With the need for subtlety out of the window, Pyrrha quickly took control of the shuriken and sent them flying towards the ice. "What the-!"the subordinate ninjas hollered. The shuriken continued chipping away at its solid mass till it completely shattered. In its wake, Jin Kisaragi was nowhere to be found, evidently having taken advantage of the attack to make a quick escape, not because of any sense of danger and more because of annoyance at Bang's pestering.

"Forgive. Me…master!" Bang grunted before passing out on the floor. "Boss!" the subordinates shouted, rushing to their leaders' side. "Damn you, Jin Kisaragi!" one of them yelled dramatically as Pyrrha made her way towards Bang to check on him.

The Hero of Love and Justice, slowly opened his eyes to the sight of his three subordinates and a young woman with red hair, painfully getting himself up to a seated position. "That was amazing master Bang" a subordinate said enthusiastically, "we didn't realize you had such abilities" another continued with glee. "I did?" said a puzzled Bang, confused as to what had actually happened. "In any case, it seems you're not seriously hurt. Bang was it? How are you feeling?" Pyrrha chimed in, reaching out her hand to help him get up. "I'm fine now. Thank you for your concern young miss" Bang warmly answered, accepting the help. "Boss Bang, the way you controlled those shuriken as if you had power over them. Was that the secret you've always been talking about!?" one of the ninjas asked giddily.

Hearing this Bang started sweating nervously before finally coming up with the courage to reply. "Of course not! It was spirit of my master, Lord Tenjo, coming to my aid and protecting me. I seems I will not die until justice for Ikaruga and its people have been delivered" he boasted. "But it seems that dastardly Jin Kisaragi has gotten away. I'll get that fiend next time" Bang grunted, clenching his fist.

"But enough about me. What of you miss? I hope Jin Kisaragi didn't hurt you too much" a concerned Bang asked. "I'm alright. It is nothing serious but thank you for asking" Pyrrha answered. Sheathing her weapons, she uses a grimoire to change her attire back to her normal one. "Ah, from the elegance of your dress to the way you carry yourself, you remind me of some of the fine ladies of Ikaruga…...and a certain special woman" Bang complemented. Pyrrha couldn't help but giggle at his attempts at flattery, it had such a genuine and honest charm to it "thank you Bang, it's very flattering of you" she reciprocated in kind.

"So, what brings such a lady like you to Ronin Gai?" the ninja asked. Pyrrha paused for a few seconds, looking around before hesitantly answering "Umm, … I was actually making my way to Orient town and I lost my way. I'm new around Kagutsuchi and I haven't a clue as to where to go".

"Is that so? Very well then, allow me to guide you to Orient town" he proclaimed. "Won't that be a burden for you?" the redhead asked. Hearing this, the ninja straightened his back and puffed up his chest "What would I, Bang Shishigami, be if not a man who help those in need. It is my duty to escort you to Orient town, whatever the cost!" he announced while posing with his hands on his hips with a glistening smile.

Pyrrha let out a small laugh at the enthusiasm and fervor the ninja displayed; there was a certain charm to that dramatic yet rustic way he carried himself. "Very well. I would be honored to be escorted by you to Orient town" she answered with a smile.

"Then we shall be off post haste. Men, take care our people in my absence" Bang ordered as he led Pyrrha made towards the desired destination. "Stay safe Boss!" one of the subordinates said as they bid their farewell.

The pair walked several minutes before reaching the entrance towards the vibrant part of the city. The evening Dusk had settled in and nightlife had just begun its infancy. "Well here it is, miss. Orient town" Bang gestured. "Thank you for all your help Bang. I will be fine on my own now" Pyrrha said as she nodded. "If that is the case, then I shall be off. There are matters that I need to attend to here. Stay safe miss" Bang acknowledged, moving in the opposite direction. Pyrrha looked on as the ninja parted ways with her; despite his incompetency in combat, he felt genuine and honest, earnest in whatever deed he sought out to do. _He seems like a nice person. but I…. don't know if I can trust him though..._ she pondered on for bit. The exterior could hide what the interior really was, yet at a time like this, having allies such as Bang wouldn't hurt. _If he truly is how he acts like, then…maybe it's worth the risk_ she thought deeply, weighing in the risks and benefits of having someone like Bang Shishigami as an ally. In a split-second decision, she ran towards Bang, ultimately having made the decision to trust in Bang to help her, under the belief that the benefits outweigh the risks. _I'll just keep my involvement with Sector Seven a secret_ she told herself. "Wait, Bang!" she called out. Bang turned around to see the red-haired lady making her way up to him. "Is there anything else I can do for you miss?" he asked. "Bang, I have a favor to ask of you" she said. "Of course, anything" he replied.

Reaching for her pocket, she took out what appears to be a radio; the ones that was used during the old days. "This radio emits a frequency that can be received only on my end" she says as she hands it over to Bang. "When you find Jin Kisaragi, please don't harm him, instead notify me immediately" she requested. "Hmmm" Bang stared at the radio intensely, scratching his head. "Miss, I made a vow to avenge Ikaruga and make an exception of my rule to never take a life when it comes to Jin Kisaragi. But if it means that much to you, then I will try my best to spare his life" he affirmed. Pyrrha heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing his answer. "Thank you, Bang," she said, as the two finally parted ways, each going in their own direction.

What Pyrrha clearly underestimated was how large, and crowded Orient town really was. She hated to admit it but she was lost, the irony of being unable to find someone as large as Tager. Just as she found herself directionless amidst the urban maze, she heard a loud noise nearby, ones that usually point towards a fight, compelling her to go in the direction of the noise. It took several minutes but she finally found herself in the town square where a gigantic, muscular figure stood, with crimson red skin and massive gauntlets draped across his arms. lo and behold, Tager was present, already busy scanning and setting up the Armagus. One of the most infamous figures of Sector Seven, Tager was given the nickname "Red Devil" for his demon red skin and intimidating stature. But despite such a scary appearance, Pyrrha had known him long enough to know he was one of the kindest, even tempered individuals she had ever met. With his mature, serious yet calm nature, he was dependable ally and someone akin to a father figure for Pyrrha.

"You're late Pyrrha," Tager said, busy scanning the area for good spots to set up the seal. "I've already finished some of it, and would've completed this one too, if it hadn't been for some pesky ninja."

Hearing the word "pesky" and "ninja" froze Pyrrha in place with stunned silence. _Bang!? Did he get into a fight with Tager? I hope not_ She thought. "Is something the matter?" Tager asked. "N-nothing. I stumbled into some roadblocks myself in Ronin Gai" she answered. Making her way to Tager, the difference in size was apparent: he towered over her and she looked even smaller by comparison. "Is that so? Hope it's not too serious. We got a lot of work ahead of us and I wanna finish before Kokonoe screams at me through my ear" Tager stated.

"Yes, we should" Pyrrha agreed, as the two started their work in earnest. It would take a long while to set up the Armagus seal for Hakumen and in any case, even if it was Bang, she trusted Tager to be merciful enough to hold back and spare Bang. For now, all she could do was complete the objectives given to her and trust in others to prevent whatever calamity that may happen the day after.

 **Hello everyone, It's been a long while before I finally got to write again. With that out of the way, I can finally begin writing this story and finish the Calamity Trigger Arc. I hope you all enjoy it, more will come soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

The entirety of the work went by uneventfully. There wasn't much in the way of anything remotely out of the ordinary as the two finished the objective tasked upon them by Kokonoe. It was no easy work and Pyrrha herself had to admit that Tager did most of the heavy lifting.

"Looks like that's the last of them" Tager turned around to face Pyrrha, "and the sun's down too".

"it seems that way" Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "Are there any further orders from Kokonoe?" she asked her partner.

"Not that I know of" Tager answered scratched his head. "Since we don't have anything else to do, perhaps we should split up and patrol the area."

"That is a good idea" Pyrrha agreed to the suggestion. However, from her perspective, Tager's suggestion could be taken literally and not as some form of thinly veiled excuse to take a break for some recreational activity, given the Red Devil's consummate professionalism and no-nonsense attitude.

Tager scanned the area before walking off, waving behind his back as Pyrrha waved back "Alright then, I'm heading to the local clinic, contact me if you find any trouble".

…

"Now what do I do? It would've helped if I could have some sort of direction" Pyrrha muttered to herself. She continued walking around and exploring the busiest part of Kagutsuchi, wandering aimlessly about. There was a lot, in terms of the offerings the town had but a part of her worried that she might become too preoccupied with it, forgetting her priorities. Speaking of which, she was still very uncertain as to what was going to happen at the NOL headquarters, this time. Over and over again, she knew exactly what had happened the first time around when she was originally there: what fate awaited three people. She felt like she knew what was going to happen again. ' _I wish there was something I could do to save them'_ she clenched her fist as tightly as she could, gritting her teeth with sunken eyes. The girl knew of Ragna only is passing but the other two were very important to her and closer to her than anyone else, at least in her timeline.

Yet as badly as she wanted to act and do something, she couldn't help but trust in Rachel Alucard. After all, being an observer as she describes herself, she knew everything that has happened and remembered them in perfect clarity; meaning the vampire saw the bigger picture. It seemed strange to obey the words of an enigmatic entity completely, especially beings who did not seem to exist in the logical plane of existence but Pyrrha felt that she owed a debt for everything Alucard had done for her, especially being her prime observer. She was the sole reason for Pyrrha's existence in the current reality and without her, she would have withered away until she ceased to exist.

' _I know you know things better than me…but I wish you wouldn't keep me in the dark Ms. Rachel'_ the redhead sighed.

"Did someone call for me?" Rachel spoke, teleporting directly in front of Pyrrha, causing her to take a step back in surprise. "Miss Rachel!" the girl exclaimed.

"I must say, I applaud you for heeding my advice and avoid meddling in certain affairs" the haughty vampire addressed.

"But Miss Rachel. I still don't understand what is going on. You and I both know what will eventually happen and yet you tell me to withhold myself"

Hearing this, Rachel gave out a small smile as she replied, "I know you expect this reality to be the same as yours, and to an extent it is, but know this…...just because a few details changed doesn't mean the grander outcome has"

"You see it don't you? Static transmissions going through you mind, strange images and visions of yourself doing things you've never done before. Those are memories of your past, from other timelines, self-transmitted onto your present self"

Pyrrha eyes widened, as she backed away further. Rachel simply lowered her eyes and shook her head.

"The truth Pyrrha, is that there have been only two continuities that have had a permanent effect on the realities: Your existence being one of them. The outcome always ends the same, with Ragna the Bloodedge and the Murakumo unit falling into the cauldron. You've seen it for yourself. For as long as they desire, all through this madness, Takamagahara will continue this endless repetition, reversing time again and again until they find the outcome they wish."

Pyrrha couldn't help but agree on her statement, grumbling yet nodding her head in acknowledgement.

"That being said, even if my powers as an observer do not call for direct intervention, know that I myself wish for nothing but change within this monotonous predicament. If it is any consolation, 'She' is currently not present within Kagutsuchi and Jin Kisaragi is currently taken in by the NOL, wounded but alive" Rachel said as she gave out a warm smile.

Hearing those words lit up Pyrrha, relieved to know what had happened. It almost felt like a massive burden had been lifted off her shoulders for It would seem that following the advice of her observer proved to be more beneficial than she thought. "T-thank you Miss Rachel"

"But know this, the grander outcome is still heading towards its predictable ending. Nothing will change it" Rachel explained. Her smile had disappeared in an instant and in its place was a blank frown.

Pyrrha quickly snapped out of her musings, realizing what the vampire was saying.

"There will come a time where you will do your part. But until then, there is a matter I must observe. Be honored that I dedicated a portion of my time to you and gave you knowledge privy only to observers" and with those words, she disappeared in an instant.

"Wait- "

Rachel Alucard had already gone and Pyrrha could only blink in confusion "I wanted to ask you why you saved me…even after knowing what will happen"

She wanted answers but even after getting them, more questions came after. Even when direct and blunt, she managed to be as cryptic as ever.

"Even if the outcome is inevitable, I hope there is a better alternative" Pyrrha stared into the night sky, letting the answers she received sink in: The machinations of the Takamagahara system were madness onto themselves, repeating time over and over again, replaying events simply because they did not find the one that suited them.

She continued walking through the narrow lanes, wondering as to what she could or should do. The answers she wanted only made her question more, leaving her directionless and without any plans over her next course of action. After knowing of the inevitability, everything around her felt almost meaningless, for any attempt to take action seemed futile and not matter anymore.

As she was wondered around aimlessly through the narrow lanes, something soft gripped her leg. She turned around to see something of a strange mixture of a cat and a human hold on to her feet, with groaning sounds coming from it face and the echoing of a grumbling stomach. It wore a hoodie with cat ears with long braids on two sides, giant round paws, a face consisting of red beady eyes and a toothy grinning mouth.

' _Beastkin?'_ she thought to herself.

"Sooooo hungry, meow. Tao…. needs…. food…. meow" the cat creature groaned., holding on to Pyrrha's feet.

Pyrrha looked around, seeing that people were walking around her with not a care in the world, before looking back at the cat creature, laying on its stomach with a half-hearted sigh. "I'm …. sorry but I don't think I have any food with me"

But the more she tried to persuade the creature, the more it looked at her with pleading eyes, begging for food. It seemed like not matter what, the more the cat was told there wasn't any, the more it wouldn't budge, rather it would beg for more.

Realizing that it was a lost cause, Pyrrha exhaled, "Alright, I'll take you somewhere to eat, considering you do seem quite hungry. You have my word". She looked around again before looking down on the cat-like being "you can let go of my feet now".

Instantaneously, the humanoid cat sprang back to life, joyously flaying around, "Nyahahahaha! Tao won't have to go hungry again, meow!" *slurps*. The cat creature opened its mouth and wiped away the drool.

"Y-yes, of course," Pyrrha hung her head in awkwardness at the situation she got herself into. Nevertheless, she was going to keep her word.

She managed to find a nearby restaurant, where she witnessed the cat creature gobble up food after food, leaving rows and rows of empty plates and bowls. Initially she had only ordered a few morsels for herself and her guest, only to discover the veracious appetite her new companion had. She felt fortunate enough to cover for the bills but Pyrrha herself didn't have much of an appetite especially after being made aware of the inevitable. That being said, she wanted to find a way to take her mind off of the things that were happening around her and striking up a conversation with the humanoid cat…thing…seemed like the perfect distraction.

"You certainly have quite an appetite don't you" Pyrrha said, attempting to strike up a conversation with her guest, all the while looking over the columns of empty bowls and plates as the creature gobbled up food after food.

" Mmmhmmm…..Tao hasn't eaten since meowning" the creature replied as it wolfed down morsels of food. It took a while, but the cat creature finally finished the entire meal set then rested within the chair, the relaxing and exhaling a satisfied "ahhhh".

"Thanks for the food red lady. You're as good as good guy"

"Good guy?"

"Yup. He fed Tao in the morning and I told him that when Tao gets the money for the bounty on Rawrrgna as a vigi-vigi-something, Tao would share it with him. Now, Tao's gotta share it with red lady too, meow" The cat creature kept pronouncing the name Tao whenever it spoke, so it was fair to assume it was its name being referred to in third person. It reached for it's pocket underneath its hoodie and dug out a wanted poster, which, upon closer inspection, Pyrrha saw that it was one for Ragna the Bloodedge: a gonk and ugly description of facial features but a genuine article nonetheless and the amount on the bounty was massive to say the least; enough to buy a small country.

"Tao, was it. Where are you from?" Pyrrha asked.

"Hmmm, Tao lives in the Kaka village down below. Meow. When Tao gets the bounty for Ragmeow, there's going to be food for everyone in Kaka."

' _So, she's a member of the Kaka clan',_ Pyrrha had heard about the stories of the Kaka clan. Genetically engineered clones of Jubei himself, one of the six heroes and the strongest being alive or so they say. Pyrrha observed the Kaka cat, seeing as to what features made her stand out from beastkins and the like. She seemed cheerful with an air of positivity and yet, also seemed incredibly dense and naïve, even more clueless than Bang the ninja. It would be incredibly hard to get any kind of useful information should the ally be not as smart as need be even if their heart was in the right place. Nevertheless, the redhead decided to test out the Kaka cat.

"So, tell me Tao, what do you know about, ummm, 'good guy'" she inquired, curious as to who fed her before.

"Oh, good guy?! Well, when Tao first met him, he was grumpy all the time. He had a big sword, a red jacket and white hair, meow. Tao's pawsitive!"

Pyrrha's face was deaminated and blank upon receiving the answer _'Those descriptions sound exactly like Ragna the Bloodedge'_ she blinked in confusion, feeling puzzled, surprised and somewhat disappointed. Tao looked like someone who's heart was in the right place but was the epitome of naivety. She had Ragna the Bloodedge right under her nose and didn't even recognize him.

Now that it looked it there wasn't anything else she could get out of Tao, Pyrrha thought it was good time, if any, to take her leave.

"Well, it's been wonderful talking with you talking with you Tao, but I wish I could chat with you more, but… I have to go now", Pyrrha got up from her seat as she went over to the counter to pay the bills.

"Leaving so soon, red lady?! Okay! Goodbye and thanks for the food, Meow!" Tao waved goodbye as her new friend headed for the exit, but not before waving back herself.

As she exited the restaurant, Pyrrha tried to weave through the mob of citizens before finally finding breathable space to settle down. She scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary before lowering her guard when the coast was clear and await further instructions. Ones that didn't take too long for someone to call her up for.

" _Pyrrha. Pyrrha! Are you there?"_ Tager blared over the radio. "This is Pyrrha. I hear you loud and clear" she answered back.

" _I've got bad news. One of the seal Ars has malfunctioned and isn't responding. Meet me in a place called Area 28 in the sewers beneath Orient town. If you get lost, just focus on finding the area with the largest concentration of Seithr. Over and out"_

"Alright. I'm on my way Tager" Pyrrha turned off the radio and immediately made her way towards one of the sewer entrances in the town square. Opening the hatch, she climbed down the ladder and made her descent into the grim, dark home of the bottom dwellers. In such a large network of sewers, it was quite easy to get lost but for as long she followed Tager's instruction to focus on areas with the highest Seithr concentration, she felt like going in the right direction. And It didn't take too long for her to find said area: an unsightly mess with a variety of strange critters roaming about with a large damaged pipe pouring out all sorts of nasty contents. Pyrrha covered her nose to block out the stench and make her way to the center of the place where Tager was busy repairing the seal before looking back to see his partner arriving

"There you are. Quickly now, use your reparation Armagus and help me fix it" Tager motioned for the redhead to aid him. Pyrrha outstretched her right hand as magical seals formed around it and began to glow as It coincided with Seal Ars reforming back to it's original shape once again. With the repairs finished, Tager took a step back and adjust his spectacles as he huffed a sigh of relief.

"What happened to it?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't know myself but my best guess is that it got sabotaged…badly. No doubt a handiwork of some of the denizens here"

No sooner had the two finished with the repairs, that the device would be put to use immediately.

" _Tager. Pyrrha. Activate the Seal Armagus now!"_ Kokonoe ordered. "Affirmative" Tager replied, immediately activating the Ars Magus which, much to their relief, worked.

"Do you think it will be enough to contain Hakumen?" the redhead inquired, as they watched the Ars do its work.

…

Somewhere within the heart of the NOL headquarters, a fierce battle was being waged between two powerful warriors: Ragna the Bloodedge and Hakumen of the Six Heroes. At the moment, not even the Grim Reaper was able to withstand the might of Hakumen, as he thoroughly trashed Ragna and left him at his mercy. "D-damnit. What the hell are you!" Ragna gargled, clutching his wounds tightly. The Susano'o unit stood over him, his blade pointed at his direction, "It is over Dark One, return to the maelstrom of chaos from whence you came!". Hakumen raised his sword above, intending to descend it upon Ragna and end him.

Before he could do that however, massive rings of Ars seals appeared before him, encircling him and rendering him immobile. "Phenomena Intervention? Unhand me Grimalkin!"

" _Quit yer bitchin and let me haul your ass over here"_ Kokonoe responded.

Hakumen tried to free himself as much as he could but it was to no avail.

But he was not one to give up, "You will not interfere!", Hakumen let out a war cry and willed himself out of the capture Seal, shattering it in the process.

…

"I'm not sure, but considering Hakumen is well past his prime, it should suffice" Tager reassured, staring blankly at the device.

Unfortunately for them, cracks began to form within the seal before ultimately shattering completely. "What!? That's impossible!" Tager looked in shocked after witnessing what just happened. Quick to act, Pyrrha motioned for her partner to quickly follow her "we have to repair quickly!"

"You don't have to tell me twice"

However, just as they were immediately set on fixing the problem, another even more dangerous problem cropped up as black goo like substances dropped from above and directly onto Pyrrha who managed to quickly jump out of the way. The viscous collection of black goo slowly morphed into a chaotic mass of indescribable shape.

In that liquid mass however, was a mask with simple features which appear to form its face while the rest looked like a standing blob.

"Th…..i…. pl….not….…..fr….y…get o…ut….uuuugggghhh ( This place is not for you, get out of here)" through all that mess, the creature was attempting to communicate through indescribable sentences.

Tager, however, seemed unnerved and unsurprised at the sight while Pyrrha changed into her combat attire. "Didn't think you'd end up here. It's a real shame to see you like this"

Pyrrha looked puzzled and stared in confusion. "Wait do you mean to say that he's- "

"Roy. Or what's left of him anyways. I've heard rumors of people and members of the Kaka clan going missing in these sewers. Something about a monster called Arakune. Didn't think it'd be him. Seeing him like this…...everyone back in Sector Seven would grieve. Even Kokonoe" Tager answered bluntly, much to the bewilderment of his partner. With the shock of knowing who he was, the revelation only gave cause to further sadden Pyrrha's , who in her time with Sector Seven, had known a number of people besides Kokonoe and Tager, many of whom were valuable members of the organization and good friends that anyone could ask for. Among them were Litchi Faye Ling and Lotte Roy Carmine.

"Roy…" she hushed in a sad tone. To see someone, she knew and considered a friend end up in such a sorry state was quite disheartening.

" Gaaaaahhhh…..I…don't….nne…..yr….sym..p..t.! ( I don't need your sympathy)" in the midst of it's own madness and hideous state, Roy was attempting to communicate as best as he could, in spite of most of it appearing as incohesive gibberish and psychopathic rambling, rendering it useless for anyone to understand.

Tager looked over to his right and could clearly see how distraught Pyrrha was. "That creature presents a clear and direct danger to us all. Pyrrha, I know it's difficult but you have to focus on task at hand. The Roy we know is long gone so don't hold back"

"Alright" Pyrrha reluctantly agreed drawing out her sword and shield from her back.

"Now get ready"

Arakune initiated the attack, immediately leaping forward and attaching itself to Tager's face. As the Red Devil struggled to free himself, the blob dug out bones with sharp ends from its body, attempting to slash and stab its way though Tager from top to bottom. In an effort to save Tager, Pyrrha quickly started stabbing her sword into the black mass which hardly seemed to have any effect. She continued slashing at it more, only to find it futile as it did not seem to break its concentration on Tager.

Meanwhile, Tager himself had managed to free his face by grabbing the mask and lifting it away while keeping the bone claws at bay. New bones grew below the head to counteract over Pyrrha's assault, attempting to stab her which the redhead blocked with her shield.

" _Tager. Tager. Are you there! You have to reactivate the seal"_ Kokonoe had called in, at the most inopportune of moments.

"Sorry Kokonoe but our hands are full" Tager answered, all the while trying to prevent Arakune from digging into his face as it let out a maniacal laughter.

"Kyahhahahahahahaah!"

Pyrrha flipped back as she transformed Milo into its rifle form. Aiming meticulously, she tried her best to find the perfect spot so as to not harm Tager as well. The Red Devil on the other hand, extended his arm as far as he could, leaving as much gap between him and blob.

"Shoot it!" he shouted.

With a pull of the trigger, the Ars enhanced bullets went straight through the creature's body, splattering it in all directions while the momentum pushed back it's mask away. Tager panted heavily after the harrowing struggle as he composed himself in anticipation for the creature's return.

And right he was.

For within the mask itself, the gooey liquid started to reform into a definitive shape. " Arrrggghh" the creature hissed, angrier than ever. Pyrrha, however wasted no time as she turned her rifle into a javelin and threw it straight into the creature's face, striking it dead center. As the blob writhed in pain, Pyrrha leapt up into the air, before coming right back down with Akoúo̱ slamming the black mass into the ground, splashing the black liquid everywhere. She removed the javelin from its face as it quickly slithered back into the darkness. Reforming into shape again, it drew out two bones in the shape of hind legs as it lunged forward hissing for which Pyrrha readied her shield and javelin in anticipation.

However, that attack never came to be, for Tager grabbed it before it could reach Pyrrha and threw it across to the other side.

"I'll take care of him. You need to fix the Seal Ars. Go!" he shouted, pointing his finger at the damaged Seal as he made his way towards Arakune, ready to hold him off.

Pyrrha nodded, making her way to the objective whereby after sheathing her weapons on her back she extended her right hand and immediately started work on rebuilding the device. Her hands glowed with strange bright symbols as her hand trembled, her face sweating and her teeth chattering, as without Tager to assist, it was going to be much more difficult to repair it, especially in such a short amount of time. With her feet firmly planted to the ground, slowly but surely, the cracks within the Seal started to disappear as Pyrrha managed to restore the Ars to its full functionality and wasted no time in reactivating it.

And just in time too, for within the Sheol gate of the NOL branch headquarters, Ragna the Bloodedge had just defeated Hakumen, if barely. Weakened by the battle, the Seal Armagus managed to contain the Susanoo unit, who under the circumstances, couldn't offer much in way of resistance this time.

Meanwhile, Tager had Arakune in the palm of his hand as he repeatedly smashed its head onto the concrete floor before tossing it away. " Garrrghhh" it screamed. "Give it up Roy. You've got nowhere left to run" Tager said as he made his way towards the blob.

" …I….wi…..lget….y-you…f…..o….this! (I will get you for this)" Arakune hissed as it dissolved itself into a liquified form and escaped through the ventilation shafts. Try as he might, his lumbering body made it difficult to move at a fast pace, rendering him unable to get to the creature in time, resulting in a scowled face which slowly turned into a look of disappointment.

" I can't let you loose on this city, roaming around and consuming innocents. I'll stop you one way or another" he sneered. Turning around, he made his way towards his partner, who had her hands on her knees catching her breath.

"So, did it work?"

Pyrrha stood straight, smiling and looking over the giant. "Yes. At least, I hope so".

"Good. Then it looks like our work here is done. Let's head back to the surface"

After strolling through the maze of the sewer yet again, the pair found themselves an alternative exit, through which Tager had entered prior to compensate for his large size, eventually leading them to the surface and back into Orient town.

"Tager..."

The red giant looked to his side and down, only to see the redhead with her eyes facing forward. Tager in turn did the same, facing his front.

"What is it"

"IT's about Roy. I know he went missing after a while but…. I didn't think I would see him end up like that…that thing. How did this happen to him?"

"I don't fully know everything myself. I know what happened to him but how it happened…...well, that's something else entirely"

"So" Pyrrha began, looking at the road straight ahead, "what exactly did happen to him"

"To answer your question, his desire to understand and obtain power directly from the boundary did this to him. The details are hazy even to me, but I do know for certain that whatever he saw inside the edge of the boundary is responsible for his horrible condition"

Tager's answers stopped Pyrrha in her tracks, sending an icy cold chill down her spine as her hands and feet shivered. It had almost looked like she had broken, her widened eyes, her mouth open, her face showing shock.

' _Is this the price of being in the boundary? To suffer a fate as horrible as this',_

"What's wrong?" Tager walked up to her, seeing as how she had just frozen in place. Pyrrha immediately shook her head and snapped into attention just as she was about to drift into her own thoughts. "N-nothing. It's just…Roy…seeing him like this" she sighed.

"Pyrrha" Tager placed his hand her head reassuringly, "I know it's difficult seeing one of our own ending up like this. But you mustn't let it get to you; just focus on the what's important."

The Red Devil let's out a small smile "Don't try to bear the burden of everyone and everything alone. If and when the time comes, I'll be the one to do the deed. I promise you."

She remained silent for a while before slowly looking up and nodding in agreement, "I suppose you're right."

"If that's all, then let's continue on our way"

Barely had they walked for a few minutes, did they see an interesting sight. In one of the quiet lanes of the street was a man in a prone position with his stomach on the ground, seemingly unconscious. Upon closer inspection, Pyrrha knew exactly who it was: with the unmistakable green outfit and a giant nail on his back, it was most definitely Bang.

"Well what do you know, it's that pesky ninja. All banged up for some reason" Tager said, while Pyrrha walked towards him, kneeled down and placed her hand on his back shoulder, checking whether he was alright. "You know him?" the redhead inquired.

"Not much. He was bugging me after I met Litchi, claiming I was harassing her or something. What about you? You seem to be quite familiar with him yourself, judging by the looks of it" Tager adjusts his spectacles.

"Yes well…. I met him in Ronin Gai when I was making my way here" she answered, continuing to check up on the ninja who could only respond with unconscious groans. "He unconscious and bruised up a lot. Will you help me find medical help for him?"

"Sure. Seems like Litchi knows him as well. We'll take him to her clinic", Tager answered, grabbing the ninja's lifeless body and yanking him onto his shoulder. "Let's go" he said, moving towards the desired destination with Pyrrha following behind.

…

"It's been a while since I last saw Miss Litchi. I wonder how she's doing"

Pyrrha and Tager were currently at the doorstep of Litchi's clinic. Both were more than a little anxious at having to meet one of their old acquaintances again as Pyrrha knocked on the door and waited for a reply. A few moments later, the door creaked open and out came a tall, attractive woman with long black hair, with a stylized doctor's uniform.

"Tager? Pyrrha!? What are you both doing here? And….is that Bang?" the woman exclaimed, mouth agape and momentarily frozen in place.

"Miss Litchi. I understand you why you might be shocked but this man needs your help" Pyrrha asserted.

"Huh? Oh" Litchi quickly came back to reality, "right then! Tager lay him down on the bed. Linhua, bring some bandages and ointments quickly!" she ordered.

Tager entered the room, removing the nail and gently putting the ninja down on the nearby bed as Litchi sat down and examined him. "I'll leave you to your work. Find me outside when you're done chatting with her, Pyrrha. Goodnight Litchi" Tager said, leaving the room.

"Will he be alright?" the young redhead asked. From the looks of things, the woman seemed to heave a sigh of relief.

Litchi smiled as she looked up to Pyrrha, "thankfully it's nothing serious. Just a few bruises"

"It's been a while since I last saw you. Not since the time I left Sector Seven" litchi continued to talk as her assistant took over in tending to Bang while she got up.

"Seems like you've grown a lot since then" Litchi gave out a peppy smile. Pyrrha lowered her head and bit her lip in embarrassment as her cheeks turned slightly reddish. "Oh…ummm..T-thank you, Miss Litchi" Pyrrha bowed cordially in response.

"Oh, you don't have to be so formal with me. We've known each other for years in Sector Seven, ever since the day you were recruited into the Organization. You were just a teenager back then" she placed her fingers on her lips and let out a giggle.

Having completed tending to Bang, Litchi nodded to her assistant, motioning her to leave "So, what brings you here to Kagutsuchi. Is it the same as Tager?" she asked.

"It's nothing really. Kokonoe just ordered me to help out Tager. I really can't say anything more than that. I'm really sorry Miss Litchi"

"It's okay. All part of the job, working with Sector Seven, I understand" the doctor reassured her. But then she herself seemed to have gotten lost in her own thoughts, staring into the cupboards. "Kokonoe huh…." She murmured to herself.

Hesitant for a bit, Pyrrha eventually walked up to her and place her hand on her shoulders. "Miss Litchi, I'm sorry but I have to take my leave now. I know its abrupt and I wish I could stay here a bit longer, but I've taken too much of your time"

Litchi looked at her wares, contemplating on the predicament before composing herself, "It's all right Pyrrha. You should go now, Tager's waiting for you."

At her behest, the redhead slowly made her way to the door that led to the outside of the clinic. She waved goodbye at the doctor who gave her a faint smile and waved back as she left outside.

On the outskirts, Pyrrha eventually found Tager, resting on the rooftops overlooking Orent Town and other parts of Kagutsuchi, where she joined him and sat next to the rooftop balcony. "So, how did it go with Litchi?", Tager asked.

"It seems she still hasn't gotten over Roy. Or the issues with Kokonoe for that matter"

"Figures" Tager grumbled a bit before going silent again. The two quietly sat there with not a word spoken between them as they watched the stars above. Being on the mountains, the night sky of Kagutsuchi was beautiful, each star twinkling with little brightness to them. Gazing at the stars above was certainly a therapeutic experience for Pyrrha; for even with all of the troubles in her life, she could still look up to the stars and remind herself of happier times. Enough to let her forget about the inevitable calamity that would befall and her decision to obey the advice of Rachel Alucard rather than try to stop it.

…

While the pair were busy star gazing, Rachel Alucard it seems had other plans of her own. "O' Ragna, I did not foresee that you would push me to my limit…. hehe" she giggled, "I now wish to see what will happen next".

"Come now. You will awaken from your slumber" she said, looking up to the stars above, "Nox Nyctores Gigant: Take-Mikazuchi "

Further above the stratosphere and tethering in the edge between the earth and deep space, was the massive satellite structure orbiting. Within it main crest, it split into four, revealing a massive humanoid body with two bright red eyes, opening its mouth wide and firing a massive concentrated energy blast.

"Releasing zero type restriction, dimensional interruption imaginary number developing, connecting to the inherent Boundary," she commanded, as a large protection seal enveloped around her, "activating Tsukuyomi Unit"

The energy blast descended upon the city rapidly, getting closer and closer before coming into contact with the magical circle and being held off by the Tsukuyomi unit, splitting it into various directions.

"It is futile. Even your powers are nothing in the face of the ultimate defense. The Tsukuyomi unit is the ultimate shield"

At the end of it all, the massive giant retreated back into its orbiting casket as Rachel watched on, "It will be another four years before you can awaken again. Until then, sleep"

….

Something seemed to have brought back Pyrrha into reality and out of her trance as she saw a bright light flickering above that was bigger than the rest. "Tager. Are you seeing this", her eyes narrowed as she gazed upon it.

"I see it" Tager acknowledged.

As it grew bigger and bigger, it appeared to be coming straight towards them until it stopped at a certain point in the sky as a massive Emblem emerged. At the sight of it, the two immediately got up and watched in awe as the light split in various directions and headed off for the surrounding mountains, hitting with a massive explosion.

The earth shook violently as an aftereffect of the explosion, while Pyrrha and Tager struggled to find proper footing.

"Pyrrha, hold on!' Tager yelled.

Eventually, the earthquake subsided and the two were able to regain their balance. As they looked over, they could see the some of the destructive effects it brought, though not as severe as would be expected, especially on a city in the mountains. Ruined buildings, broken roads, and damaged structures were abounded as the citizens woke up from their slumber to witness their home on the verge of severe damage.

"What the hell just happened!", Tager commented, bewildered as any person would be, especially after witnessing what had just happened. "I wish I had answer that. But even I don't know what happened" Pyrrha addressed, rubbing the back of her head.

In truth however, she did have a good guess as to what might have happened, especially after what was made known to her.

' _Could that light have been the calamity that Miss Rachel foretold?'_ Pyrrha was puzzled and unsure of what had just happened, but her intuition was telling her that whatever it was, it involved what had been foretold and was linked the vampire. _'If that was the calamity? Does…. this mean it's over?'_

So many questions yet so little answers. She had waited for the day to reckoning to arrive the entire evening but nothing came of it. However, with the way reality was worked and manipulated under, Pyrrha was unsure as whether this was a ruse or a genuine doomsday prophecy being averted.

" _Tager. Pyrrha. Do you copy?"_

"Kokonoe. This is Tager. We hear you loud and clear"

" _The retrieval of Hakumen is a success. You've got orders to come back to headquarters immediately. I've set up a transport ship nearby"_ she commanded.

"Affirmative. Heading back now" Pyrrha answered.

And with that, the two proceeded to their current destination. On the one hand, there was uncertainty as to what had happened or what will happen; whether or not the disaster was averted but on the positive side, Pyrrha could trust in the words of Rachel that Jin Kisaragi was safe and considering the entire day had passed without any sort of doomsday happening, she was sure Alucard had a hand in preventing it. There was still so much uncertainty but she was surely to be given more tasks in the coming days. Pyrrha wanted change the world around her as much as anyone did but she, herself was unsure how much her actions actually affected it.

As she walked on, strong static passed through her head, causing her to pause, as it was not unlike those that had happened in the morning. However, they were quite painless in comparison and nothing actually came of it: No imagery, no strange visions of past, nothing.

' _Is this a sign. Have things changed?'_ she pondered before moving on.

Unbeknownst to her, that uncertainty was the result of the end of the calamity trigger; the foregone conclusion had passed, but Ragna never fell into the cauldron nor merged with the Murakumo unit, Nu-13. He had been saved by Noel Vermillion, thus breaking the cycle.

….

"Ugh,..the hell was that?" Ragna pondered, trying to regain his composure after the earthquake. Next to him was Noel Vermillion, who had just regained consciousness after saving him from falling into the cauldron.

"Well, well, Lookee here Noel!" an unknown voice sneered at her. Noel turned around, only to find a familiar green haired man with a fedora. "C-Captain Hazama?" she replied.

"That's right, look at me, Noel Vermillion!" he hissed. Looking straight into his eyes, Noel could feel an immense presence of evil emanating from him; she always thought he seemed shady and unpredictable but now he seemed completely out of control. Rachel Alucard immediately teleported in front of her, blocking her view of Hazama. "No Noel! Don't" she exclaimed.

"Nah-uh-uh, I think it's already too late for that, shitty vampire. She already saw me! Didn't you, sweet little Noel… Hahahahahahaha!" the maniacal cackle echoed throughout the entire place.

"Terumi!" Ragna snarled. " Awww, you remembered me Raggy boy. And here I thought, you'd already forgotten about our little meeting last time" the serpent taunted, enraging Ragna as he grabbed his sword and charged forward only to be stopped by the vampire.

"Out of the way Rachel! I've got a score to settle with this sick bastard!" Ragna growled.

"No" Rachel argued, "believe me when I tell you this: You cannot win against Terumi, not anymore."

"I don't care. Move it!", Ragna Ignored her warnings as he jumped past her and slammed his blood scythe onto the ground where Terumi was, who had swiftly moved out of the way. "Ouroboros" he commanded as a small magical circle appeared in front of him, and from it came a steel hook in the shape of a serpent connected with chains of green and black energy. The weapon struck Ragna, sending him flying backwards and hitting the ground hard.

"You know, if I were you, I'd have listened to the little bloodsucker. As much I hate to admit it, as of right now, she's the only one who can keep up with me" he pointed out, " and a little BITCH like you wouldn't be able to satisfy me."

Ragna gritted his teeth, reeling on the floor in pain, "Garrgh! T-Terumi, I'll…. get you…. for this"

"Uh huh, and when you do, just make sure to clean up after I run you through the ground again", Terumi said with a sickly grin. "Now if that's all the blabbering you're gonna do, I've got places to be and a lot of shit that needs getting done. See ya." The serpent turned his back and walked away.

In the aftermath there was silence between the three, as Ragna recovered and stood up. "Noel" Rachel stated, which got the blonde girl's attention. "You saw him didn't you"

"I-I think…I did…... Captain Hazama…what was wrong with him?" Noel said, looking on in confusion.

"Then my worst fears have come true. By gazing into his eyes, you have affirmed his existence and allowed his spirit to persevere", Noel stared in shocked surprise at her reply.

"The hell does that even mean?" Ragan interrupted. Rachel did not answer immediately but simply closed her eyes slowly.

"An answer for another time" she replied, then snapping her fingers as the two disappeared in an instant before she did as well.

High above, Rachel pondered as to what her next course of action would be. Usually the city would've been in ruins by now while the Takamagahara or the Origin within the Amaterasu Unit restarted everything. This time however, she had broken her own rule as an Observe and interfered in the events, for this time, the outcome was different, this time, things had changed, the rules switched , roles differentiated and for the first time in her entire existence, a new future rose.

"The loop has ended and with it, comes the arrival of uncertainty. Now is the time for the Continuum Shift to occur, endless possibilities never before seen. I do not know where this new path will lead us all, but Ragna and Noel, I know you two will have a hand in it. As for you, I never thought I'd need you but it seems your purpose, your role in all of this has finally arrived. I hope you're ready for this Pyrrha"

 **And with this chapter, the Calamity Trigger Arc has finally ended. Now onto the legendary pain in the ass known as the Continuum shift, then Chronophantasma and finally Central Fiction. What awaits this new Pyrrha on her adventures, how did she really get here? what role does Jin Kisaragi, Tsubaki Yayoi, Hazama/Terumi, the Imperator, Kokonoe and most importantly Rachel Alucard have in her existence? Well, we'll found more on the coming chapters. For now, hope you all enjoy it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Continuum Shift: Prologue**

Leaving behind the feelings of confusion and dismay amongst Ragna and Noel, beyond the far reaches of Kagutsuchi and into another NOL base, came the presence of Tsubaki Yayoi. A young lady with long red hair and striking blue eyes, draped in some white cloak and black tights with the signature military boots as part of the Zero Squadron: Wings of Justice, Tsubaki was as loyal, intelligent and honor bound as they could come; a model soldier representing not only her family, but the Duodecim as well.

Entering a large door at the far front of a long corridor, the young lady slowly, in an almost hesitant fashion, opened the door halfway through, revealing it's interior. At the center, was a man casually mounted on the office desk, staring with almost suspicious intent giving off an aura of uneasiness emanating from him.

"First Lieutenant Tsubaki Yayoi reporting for duty sir" she announces, instantly snapping her body straight and saluting.

"So, you're that girl from the Yayoi family I've heard so much about. Well, I'm Hazama from the Intelligence Department. It's finally nice to meet you" Hazama replies.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" the young lady anxiously inquired. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh no, no. Nothing out of the ordinary for the NOL. I'll get it to it in a little while. Also, we're in the Intelligence Department and things like hierarchy and formalities are laxed around here. So, you don't have to be so formal and uptight. Just relax" Hazama reassured her, with a grin that felt ingenuine.

"Understood Captain"

Hazama shook his head in annoyance, "I just told you to relax, didn't I? Calm yourself Lieutenant, a little bit of informality never hurts anyone. Oh well…", he shrugs his shoulders and sighs, "let's get to the point, shall we?"

"The reason I requested for you …is because I'd like to put you in charge of a very…classified mission" he informs, adjusting his fedora as he continues, all the while Tsubaki pays attention to her "It goes like this: Jin Kisaragi has abandoned his duty as a Major and headed off to Kagutsuchi without any express permission while Noel Vermillion follows suit. Both have failed to follow direct orders to return and have refused to comply. As a result, both of them are considered rogue and extremely dangerous. You, Miss Yayoi, are hereby tasked with apprehending the two fugitives and, if necessary, execute them as well. As of right now, they're both at large in Kagutsuchi, armed and extremely dangerous…. or so they say"

Hearing those orders sent shockwaves all over Tsubaki's body, widening her eyes at the revelations. Jin and Noel were her closest friends back in the days of the academy. The ones she trusted the most, the ones she cherished her whole life, ones who she could say with confidence that they were her friends. "But sir, what did they do to merit assassination?" she ask, masking her doubts and fears.

"Oh? I see what you're going with this" Hazama playfully sneers, "just know that this is a direct order from the main headquarters and it comes with the seal of the Imperator. You wouldn't want to disobey the will of the imperator herself, now would you?" he answers, abrupt and sharp in tongue, almost as if he could see straight through her ploy, taking Tsubaki by surprise as she gulped down to quell her nervousness.

"N-no sir" she quietly answers.

"Very good. But since you asked so nicely, might as well let you in on what we do know. Everything that's been happening in Kagutsuchi, from two of our brightest officers going rogue to the entire branch members going silent, it all leads back to Ragna the Bloodedge. Our best guess is that the two of them are connected to him somehow"

"Connected? But how?" she asks, turning paler by the minute.

"Who knows?" Hazama nonchalantly replies, "but enough about it. That should clear all those pesky doubts you might have. Best of luck, Lieutenant"

Tsubaki gritted her teeth, nodded to the captain and turned around to leave.

"Oh, one more thing, Miss Yayoi" Hazama called out, stopping the young lady in her tracks, "I almost forgot"

"What is it?" she asked, turning around.

"Recent information from one of our 'sources' inside Sector Seven, tells us that they have several agents operating within Kagutsuchi limits. One of them goes by the alias 'Pyrrha Nikos', a name which I'm sure you've heard before, but it seems the reason why this particular operator is such an enigma is because that name is just a pseudonym. Apparently, she's actually of Yayoi blood" the shady captain explained.

"What!" Tsubaki couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. ' _A Yayoi, working with Sector Seven? Surely an imposter!'_ she thought to herself. There wasno way a member of her family would do such a disservice to their name like that.

"I know, I know, there's a lot of stones unturned, but since you're a Yayoi yourself, I think you'd able to handle it better than anyone else. If there's any questions now would be the time"

"I think enough time has been wasted here sir. I'll take my leave, Captain Hazama", Tsubaki quickly stormed out of the room, brimming with curiosity and determination , which was written all over her face.

As the doors to his office closed once again, Hazama couldn't help but let out a massive smirk as he revealed one of his reptilian eyes. "Well, looks like everything's going to plan".

 **TA: I 'am pleased that you could make it to this meeting Rachel Alucard.**

She stood on an empty white void, surrounded by three empty chairs and humanoid shadows that casted from them, as they encircled within the respective seats. "'Long time no see' would be the appropriate response, would it not?" she replies.

 **TC: From your perception of time, it has been 19,792 hours, 41 minutes and 52 seconds.**

 **TB: But for us, it has been 283,875 hours, 18 minutes, 24 seconds.**

The three beings that inhabited the empty white room, constituted of three observers, powerful AIs known as Takamagahara A, B and C or TA, TB and TC respectively. Created by man to observe the world on a grander scale through the collection of data from the Origin within the Amaterasu Unit, together, they formed the Takamagahara Unit, an artificial program designed to ensure the survival of mankind.

But much like any other creation of humanity, it was flawed. Very flawed: For all of its powers to manipulate time, it lacked an Azure, rendering it unable to change events. The Unit observed problems and solutions from an overly logical standpoint, making them out of touch with what the true solution is for the world and what they perceive is the most logical answer and what is best for the world from their standpoint.

This meant they had no qualms reversing time again and again, rendering the world stagnant and trapped in a never-ending cycle of repetition.

Rachel herself could not hide her own contempt for them. For all their talk of logic, to her, they were insane in the most orderly of fashion and just as much of the problem as were those opposed to the Amaterasu Unit.

"Perhaps. But I suppose you did not summon me to discuss statistics" she states.

 **TA: Why did you lift Restriction Zero? Surely you realize that you have undone the clean-up efforts of** **Gigant Take-Mikazuchi through the summoning of the Tsukuyomi Unit.**

 **TB: In addition, your actions prevented the erasure of Ragna the Bloodedge, who may be the Origin but is of little importance in the grander scheme of things. Indeed, your choices and actions are beyond the outer perimeters of what can be perceived as logical and sound reasoning.**

"That maybe, from the standards of you twisted logic. But what I do as an Observer, is of my own violation"

 **TC: Your refusal to answer the query has been duly acknowledged and recorded for data. However, your own observation of the outside catalyst known as "Pyrrha Nikos" is still in question. She belongs to a possibility that no longer exists, and as such, should have been erased from existence as well. The outside element is of little value to the remaining and potential possibilities yet you continue to maintain her existence"**

"Her value is something the likes of you will never understand" Rachel replies, growing more irritated by the moment, "and your questions and accusations hold little gravity, especially in the wake of you releasing Terumi from his prison in the boundary. So, do you fancy yourselves Gods now?"

 **TB: Affirmative. We paroled Yuuki Terumi in order to initiate the process towards doomsday.**

"Then you must be madder than I thought. To truly lead the world into decay"

 **TA: You assume us wrong, Rachel Alucard. We, the Takamagahara are created by man. Anything that has been "created" cannot be a God. Anything that can be observed and acknowledged as well, cannot or no longer will be considered a God. Just as you have your own agenda, we have ours. We do not seek to send the world into certain doom. We only seek to bring balance. The appearance of the successor to the Azure, Noel Vermillion, has caused the world to veer dangerously close to a continuum shift.**

 **TC: It is true that Yuuki Terumi is something of a maverick. For at times even we cannot govern his actions. And it is for this reason that we have developed an "exit strategy": We will control the distortions that are likely to occur within the possible future and target the irregularities for elimination.**

 **TB: Yuuki Terumi will reinitialized accordingly, should he stray off his leash.**

 **TA: He poses little threat and is of better use to us, moving the world towards a favorable outcome.**

 **TC: Correct. All possible outcomes within the Continuum will be recorded, analyzed and compared to the largest probability.**

At this point, Rachel's opinion of them had gone down drastically. She never truly thought highly of them but now, to release someone as highly egotistical and dangerously smart as like Yuuki Terumi, who in truth, never gave rat's ass about authority and thinking they could control him and use him as pawn? They were truly out of their depths and way over their heads.

 **TB: Rachel Alucard, you were singular being once, an Observer.**

 **TA: We would like to offer you a position. To become an Observer to the boundary.**

The vampire stared at them with a deep, menacing glare hidden beneath a stoic, expressionless face. "I think you already know my answer to your proposal"

 **TC: Noted. We have taken your rhetorical answer and come to the conclusion that you do not wish to return. This data has been recorded for future reference.**

 **TA: But we do not wish to meddle in your affairs either. Therefore, we have accepted the phenomenon that has occurred and will re-evaluate the worth of Ragna the Bloodedge.**

 **TB: However, we have observed changes within your own observational patterns and deem them illogical.**

Hearing this, Rachel Alucard heaved out a sigh of disappointment on the inside. Knowing they were stubborn and would not succumb to an alternative other than their own, she gave up on the futility of arguing with them and prepared to leave.

"Even when you observe the grander scheme of things, your eyes are still blind to the truth within it all. Takamagahara"

Involved in the formation of the Novus Orbis Librarium and serving as the progenitors of Ars Magus usage, the Twelve Duodecims were essential during the times of the Dark War. Serving as providers of the most talented warriors and loyal servants of the Imperator, they were expected to serve as leaders and role models. Among the families, two names that were of most prominence were the Kisaragi and the Yayoi family. The Kisaragi were considered extremists and outright mercenaries for their policy of recruiting talented children all over the world and adopting them, mainly for they gave no importance to status or bloodline.

The Yayoi family were the opposites, giving greater value to bloodline. A tight knit and strong unified family they were, however, their own strict policies with regards to parentage and bloodline had caused their numbers to dwindle per generations. Such was the family Tsubaki was born into, who by her own time, had become the only child to survive this inbreeding.

As she pondered on about her place in the world and her own predicament, she had finally arrived at her destination. Within the confines of a darkly lit room, a large heavy door stood before her- it was an entrance to a shrine hidden beneath the Yayoi family home.

" _We need to be the ones who set an example to the rest of the Duodecim. We must"_ she convinced herself. It was the first time she had ever set foot there, but Tsubaki knew what was beyond the doors. Pulling out a small blade, Tsubaki drew it across the tip of her finger. "Ah!" she yelped out from the momentary pain the cut caused as droplets of blood formed from the finger. Tsubaki placed her hand on the emblem, which as if consumed by hunger, absorbed the blood and opened with a loud metallic thud.

" _I'm sure Jin and Noel have perfectly good explanations for what they did. I just need to talk to them and convince them to come back. But…. if they really turned their backs on the imperator, then I'll…. have to kill them"_ her mind was in turmoil.

Coming through the opened door, the young redhead stood over the object she desires, slowly reaching over to take it. However, as she placed her hand on it, everything around her flashed bright as images of her and Jin appeared before her very eyes. Her uniform was that of the Ars Magus division, and it resembled a secretary's attire. She saw herself and Jin conversing about something important, Jin staring intently at the papers she showed while she herself was looking a Jin with a smile. It looked almost as if she was enjoying herself. Like she was happy.

"Ugh" she cried out in pain.

Coming back to reality, a sudden sense of vertigo rushed over to her, and Tsubaki placed a hand on her head to try and calming herself from this rushing throbbing sensation happening over her head.

Just as she recovered from the initial shock, another static throb pulsed through her head, revealing another vision; this time that of a young girl, no older than maybe eight, with short, red hair playing with someone who looked just like her. She was kneeling down and smiling at the little girl who reached out her tiny hands and gave her a flower as she smiled back. Even here, her happiness felt genuine.

As she came to her senses, her body felt like it's been of its drained of it strength as she started getting dark and blurry. "T-this is…the Izayoi?!" she weakly muttered. The Sealed Armagus Izayoi was one of the prime weapons used during the Dark War. An artifact weapon belonging exclusively to the Yayoi family, the blade was capable of trapping light, even those of its wielder, rendering them blind should they push beyond their limits of its use. Refusing to succumb to it, she tightened her grip around the short sword and shield as she mustered up all of her strength to come back to her senses. There was too much at stake for Tsubaki, too many questions unanswered. Why did Jin and Noel defect? What does it have to do with Ragna the Bloodedge? Who was this mysterious Yayoi working for Sector Seven? She would get her answers, one way or another.

"Onward now…to Kagutsuchi"

 **Well, finally got myself to start on the continuum shift arc. Apologies for this one being so short, but I wanted to get the prologue out of the way, so that it would all come into place eventually. Anyways, hope you all like it, feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions.**


End file.
